To an outsider, Taiwan's stocks have always appeared to be some way off the radar screen. That's a shame because the economic fortunes of this developed country (a nation in all but name) which grew at 5.7% last year and is forecast to grow by an albeit questionably precise 4.67% in 2008 has to be the right side of the future.

And so to Taiwan's E-ton Solar Tech (Taiwanese Stock Exchange not yet on ADVFN). They have just agreed a new polysilicon contract with M.Setek, effective April 2008 to December 2009. Allegedly, this deal will see its overall material costs slashed by 40-45% in the second quarter of 2008 from a supply of more than 1000 tons of polysilicon at 30% less than spot market quotes.

That has to be good going, not least because there must be that much more competition for polysilicon in an island famed for its semiconductor industry.

And now for the topical take. London right now is in the middle of an election for a new Mayor - or not - and E-ton  can point to a prestige development of its solar cells, London's City Hall at the insistence of current Mayor, Ken Livingstone.  I go  past this building every day and I have to say, it took them ages to put it up.  But it is  a  big  chunk of solar power.

The 67 kilowatts of pv  were encapsulated intod modules by Romag Holdings and installed on the roof of the London Assembly/ City Hall -where the Mayor of London presides. More detail here.