Arizona solar industry craves more R&D (Phoenix)

Arizona is hot and heavy over solar energy, hoping it will rescue the region from the recession, create jobs for laid-off construction and semiconductor workers, and put the sun-drenched state on the global energy map.

But experts say Arizona needs to attract more research and development and solar engineers to create geographic clusters akin to Silicon Valley before its solar industry can achieve a lasting critical mass of high-wage jobs.

Arizona Technology Council CEO Steve Zylstra said Arizona has been good at putting together the building blocks of solar, but it needs more research and production investments for the industry to take root.

Read the full story in the Phoenix Business Journal.