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Solar Shingles
buzban writes "Wired is carrying a cool story about a solar panel technology with a form factor like roofing shingles. Sort of a beowulf cluster of small, (relatively) attractive solar panels, if you will..."
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"Pernick said solar roofs would probably be adopted most quickly in states such as Hawaii and California where the cost differential between electricity derived from solar and fossil fuels is not as great."
I lived in Hawaii for almost four years. Very few people use solar. Even for hot water. Instead they use electricity that is supplied by diesil burning plants.
I talked to native Hawaiians about solar and mostly got blank stares-- even from one guy in HVAC. The only people out there using solar are hippies or those who just happened to move into an apartment or house with solar.
Most people don't think about solar. Just like most people don't think about coal/NG/nuclear/hydro turbines. If solar is going to happen, it's going to take a concerted effort by... somebody. I'd assume it would be in the government's best interest, but apparently it's more important to fight for oil.
Unisolar panels are made in Michigan.
They have been out for several years.
They withstand Hail.
They're actually flexible and look like regular tar roofing tiles except instead of being coated with little "pebbles" they are smooth and black.
They also offer a solution for standing seam roofs which are basically big rolls of "tape" that you stick down between the seams.
Keep in mind that these things (amorphous silcon panels) have lower power densities than tradtional glass and crystal silicon panels.
They are also a lot more work to wire up.
The technology keeps improving however.
They offer significant ascetic advantages which are important to a lot of people.
They can also be mass produced in much larger batches than the other technology. (And therefore will eventually be much cheaper. That is if the increasing demand for them ever levels off...)
O=='=++