One problem for the emerging technology is cost, even in the aftermath of a sharp fall in solar panel prices, following a global glut of the main raw material, solar-grade silicon.

这种新兴技术的难点就是成本，即使太阳能板的价格大幅下跌，随之而来的问题就是稀有材料太阳级多晶硅在全球供不应求。

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Two Japanese companies are the leading producers of silicon wafers, the raw material used to make computer chips, accounting for more than 60 percent of the world's supply.

有两家日本公司是全球领先的硅晶片生产商，硅晶片用于制造电脑芯片，占了全球供应的60%还多。

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Until recently, however, Silicon Valley did not take much interest in the alternative use of its principal raw material.

然而，直到近几年，硅谷（电子科技产业中心）才开始对这种基础天然物质的其他用途产生兴趣。

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If silicon had remained high priced it might even have worked: but as they were ramping up production into a world where the raw silicon ingot had just fallen to 10% of its previous price they were doomed.

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Take Sharp, which since 2000 has led the world in solar panels sold (it dropped to No. 2 last year in the midst of a silicon raw-material shortage).

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Your raw material is silicon ingot, itself made from sand.

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