Green Power and Greenbacks

Legendary Cypress Semiconductor CEO (and famed Silicon Valley personality) TJ Rodgers is at it again.

Rodgers, who is often described as an “outspoken” capitalist, has invested over $150 million in solar power, long the province of leftist pipedreamers. Lest we think that TJ has gone soft, he is quick to add, “I’m not into green for green’s sake. I am into green for greenbacks’ sake.”

Cypress will generate $80 million in solar power revenues in 2005, and plans to ramp that up to $400 million by 2008, by which time a spin-off IPO is likely.

Solar power has had many false starts in the past, but when a hard-headed skeptic like Rodgers gets involved, perhaps this time will be different.