Google may take lead in solar tech

One would expect advances in solar technology to come from established solar energy companies like First Solar (FSLR). But Google's (GOOG) green initiative may outpace the major industry leaders by creating much more efficient technology.

The head of Google's alternative energy operations, Bill Weihl, told the Reuters Global Climate and Alternative Energy Summit that, "We've been looking at very unusual materials for the mirrors, both for the reflective surface as well as the substrate that the mirror is mounted on." Google's work could cut the cost of the fields of mirrors that track the sun.