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Photo of Governor Schwarzenegger gesturing toward a large brown photovoltaic panel. The panel is labeled "Manufactured by Applied SunFab(TM) Thin Film Line" at the bottom and is supported by a metal stand. Around the governor are other people, who are wearing suite. In the background is a large metal structure that supports additional photovoltaic panels.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger viewed Applied Materials' solar installation and its large SunFab panels, which are well suited for utility-scale solar installations.

Photo of a large metal structure covered in tilted photovoltaic panels. A road curves around the edge, and office buildings can be seen in the background.

Applied Materials changed its parking lot to a power plant with what was, at the time, the largest corporate solar installation (2 MW) in Sunnyvale, California.

Photo of a metal structure over a paved parking lot with cars. The structure supports photovoltaic panels and shades the cars beneath. The nearest parking spaces are labeled "Carpool Hybrid."

The parking lot solar plant provides shade for employee vehicles while generating substantial power.

Solar Decathlon 2009

Applied Materials

Applied Materials is proud to sponsor Solar Decathlon 2009 and help showcase some of the world's smartest "green" technologies in our nation's capital. Applied Materials is sponsoring a media package that will provide daily updates on ABC's Washington, D.C., affiliate station.

At this critical time, with global action required to combat climate change, the students and universities competing in Solar Decathlon 2009 are demonstrating the innovations and applications that will shape our future. The students and universities prove that solutions are ready and available today and that implementing clean technology doesn't mean sacrificing livability, aesthetics, or economics. Together, we can show how clean, free power from the sun is being harnessed to power our world and how solar energy and renewable energy can be powerful engines of growth to drive the next wave of economic prosperity.

Applied Materials is the world leader in nanomanufacturing technologyTM solutions—engineering the microscopic "thin films" that make electronic innovations such as smart phones, powerful computers, and consumer electronics possible and affordable. For more than 40 years, Applied Materials has fueled virtuous cycles of growth that have made these innovations ubiquitous around the world. Now, the company has focused this capability on changing the economics of solar power.

Every day, the sun beams 45,151,524 trillion Btu of energy to the earth. Solar photovoltaic panels can convert this energy to electricity when the world needs it most: during the warmest times of the day and year. Applied Materials is the leading solar equipment supplier and is bringing technology and scale to solar, speeding the point at which the cost of solar falls below the cost of traditional forms of energy generation. Applied Materials is also driving down the cost of manufacturing crystalline silicon solar panels. These panels serve residential, commercial rooftop, and utility-scale solar farm markets.