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Damn, slashdot is too stupid to fix links.

http://www.powerfilmsolar.com/

Why is this news? Commercially available flexible solar has been around for more than 20 years - check out PowerFilm . This may reduce the minimum bend radius by a few millimeters but nothing major. The problem historically with photovoltaics that are not mounted under glass is degradation due to water ingress and failure of the interconnects due to repeated flexing. I would love to see what testing they have done on this material. Maybe they are for space based use where water ingress is not an issue?

" unless you think its just going to run on sunshine and rainbows?"
Kinda:
Sunshine
http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/intelligent-energy/us-military-brings-solar-power-to-its-front-lines/4321
http://www.military-solar-power.com/
http://www.powerfilmsolar.com/military-products/military-products.php

AS for rainbows, they could use the drug crops and turn it into biofuels.

I person is killed form enemy action for every 24 convoys. So, yea 1000 killed due to enemy action sounds about right.

"As with most things related to the military, some idiot gets a number, then goes completely doom and gloom, and suddenly OMFG WE GOTTA STOP THAT!
As with most thing in the military, it did not happen that way.

"As they say in Counter Strike .
ah, I see. Your military/logistics experience comes from a kids game,how cute.

"Note: I as expected, did not read the actual article, just the summary. Its more fun that way."
I have no idea why someone finds it fun to be completely wrong.

The summary was inaccurate and TFA was fairly political. It took a quote about the cost of doing business in remote areas then labelled all of the $20B infrastructure costs as air conditioning. The military is very, very aware of the costs of fuel convoys and bad insulation, and do what they can to fix it. Just like any new system, alternative energy products take a while to acquire, test, and push out to troops in the field. Several posts in this story write about the lack of alternative energy... it definitely is used wherever practical, but the mission and the logistical considerations don't often make it practical. Aside from the generic solar pannels you see powering various sensors and stuff installed on base, http://www.powerfilmsolar.com/military-products/military-products.php has several products they've been making for the military. I know the 60W folding solar pannels have been used by patrols in Afghanistan and were well-received; I haven't seen the shelters in use, but I can definitely think of a few places they would be handy.

How is their product any different from PowerFilm's (http://www.powerfilmsolar.com/)? They have been making flexible solar panels for almost 20 years.

http://www.powerfilmsolar.com/
Flexible, thin film cells.
I use their components for rocketry.
Very tough stuff.

http://www.powerfilmsolar.com/products/oem_components/modspecs/rc7275psa.htm

My thinkpad could fit two modules on top of its lid.
Thats roughly 1.5 watts delivered, whereas in normal usage my Tpad draws around 10W. around 2 watts more with Wifi.

So your solar cells would prolong the battery life by around 10-15% in ideal conditions.

The foldable you mention is from PowerFilm. They make many different devices as well as components for building your own. http://www.powerfilmsolar.com/products/portable%20and%20remote/index.html
I went the build-your-own route using their thin-film cells. I needed a power source for a laptop in the field, so I put one together that I could epoxy to the laptop lid. It's still on duty 4 years later. I also needed a source on board the ultimate portable device -- a rocket weighing less than 2kg total and capable of handling a vertical acceleration of 20 G to Mach 1+, supplying constant high grade power to the recording altimeter that also controlled the parachute ejection system. That system has flown over 20 times. I put their stuff through some hellacious stress testing and the only failures I've had were my fault.

Not sure, but this morning on NPR/KQED, I heard something about flexible solar panels. It might have been another company/startup product. But, in the interest of putting up something...

http://www.powerfilmsolar.com/products/military/armytents/index.htm

http://www.powerfilmsolar.com/products/military/foldables/index.htm

http://www.powerfilmsolar.com/index.htm

Not sure, but this morning on NPR/KQED, I heard something about flexible solar panels. It might have been another company/startup product. But, in the interest of putting up something...

http://www.powerfilmsolar.com/products/military/armytents/index.htm

http://www.powerfilmsolar.com/products/military/foldables/index.htm

http://www.powerfilmsolar.com/index.htm

Not sure, but this morning on NPR/KQED, I heard something about flexible solar panels. It might have been another company/startup product. But, in the interest of putting up something...

http://www.powerfilmsolar.com/products/military/armytents/index.htm

http://www.powerfilmsolar.com/products/military/foldables/index.htm

http://www.powerfilmsolar.com/index.htm

I actually just homebrewed a system for running my laptop. I have a 10 watt PowerFilm module, which is lightweight and flexible. It doesn't put out enough juice to run my Toshiba laptop continuously, but I do use it to charge a small battery via a regulator. When I need it it will extend my laptop's use by a few hours. One catch is that laptops generally need more than 12 volts (mine takes 15), which is what the battery gives. I have a homemade DC-DC converter that steps the voltage up.

The panel will set you back about $200, with around $100 for both the battery and regulator (most of the parts for the DC-DC converter can be scrounged). So, it's not much cheaper than the system they describe in TFA, but it's light and fairly portable.

Okay, I'm a glutton for punishment. I'll take a stab at this from another direction. New napkin ... Ho-Hos have been ... uhh ... dealt with.

There are 300 million folks in the US. Average family of 4 -> 75 million households. Let's make this a compulsory public-service program, so city dwellers without roof space need to subcontract their citizen-obligation to a "sun farmer." Each household is responsible for (451 thousand MW / 75 million) = 0.006 MW = 6kW. Multiply that by 2 to account for the 50% illumination cycle, and divide by 0.707 to RMS the peak incident power = 17 kW.

17kW with 8% efficiency cells yields about 212 m^2 of cells, or a square that's 14.5m on a side. My current residence only has about 160 m^2 of roof space, so I'd probably need to opt for the 20% cells ... Still, that's within the realm of reality. I wish the Iowa Thin Film flexible cells were more than 3-5% efficient. I very much like the idea of a long continuous roll of solar film. That'd eliminate much of the installation and handling headaches associated with the current rigid cells.