Solar Panels As Building Clothing

Makarand writes "A Canadian company is developing a flexible solar-power generating material that can be draped over any building. This will allow buildings with curves and complex shapes to use solar panels. The new material is made of silicon beads, each acting as a solar cell, placed between two aluminum foils and sealed on the sides with plastic. The manufacturing process for the silicon beads can use waste silicon from the chip-making industry. The material has an overall efficiency of 11 per cent which is comparable to the performance of conventional photovoltaic cells. The material looks like blue denim and architects might love to work with it."

Comments

I can hear the designers now...

[hackwrench]

"Oh darling, that bue material is just so to die for"