Republican National Convention (Sept. 1-4)

[Professor S]

Originally Posted by KillerGremlin

I'm hoping that with some innovations regarding nanotechnology that we will see solar cells that become MUCH more efficient. I think solar power will be most useful in powering the electricity in your house. Solar panels on the roof? Seems logical enough to me.

Except then there are high winds or a hailstorm, and you have replacement costs of thousands of dollars, and meanwhile you are without power. Also, most of the country doesn't get enough sun to make solar a viable replacement for carbon fuel. Same case goes for much of the world. Thats why I believe truly "green" energy alternatives are regional at best, unless there is a major breakthrough.

I look forward to the transition to green...I hope I can witness it in my lifetime.

So do I, but we also need to be realistic.

And Mana, I'm also very curious to hear more about these new cells. I have my doubts as to their efficiency, but at least they definitely will not be as fragile or as expensive. Its a great step forward. Do you have a link?

Found a linK

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0326131312.htm

10% efficiency. Its a good first step, but they have a LONG way to go.

[manasecret]

Originally Posted by Professor S

And Mana, I'm also very curious to hear more about these new cells. I have my doubts as to their efficiency, but at least they definitely will not be as fragile or as expensive. Its a great step forward. Do you have a link?

Found a linK

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0326131312.htm

10% efficiency. Its a good first step, but they have a LONG way to go.

Looks like I got my solar cell advances mixed up. The "ink-jet" type I was referring to is actually the nanotube type that KG mentioned before me. The flexible type that I showed a picture of are different.

Found a link on the nanotube solar technology:

http://www.scientificblogging.com/ja..._panels_really

From that article, it seems there are three main types of solar cells, listed here in order of highest efficiency

1. Quantam Dot -- supposedly a theoretical limit of 60% efficiency
2. Silicon-based -- the traditional ones that everyone knows and loves, with a theoretical limit of 33% efficiency
3. Thin-film -- the flexible type in the photo above. The theoretical efficiency isn't mentioned, but right now they are lower than silicon-based cells at less than 15% vs. about 22% for silcon-based cells.

The interesting part about these Buckyball-nanotube concoctions is that supposedly they can be added to any of the three types of solar cells to improve their efficiency. So that means theoretically the efficiency of quantum dot cells could be even higher than 60%.