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Bigger, Cheaper Solar Cells

Phenombecile800 writes "First Solar, a start-up from Arizona, is making photovoltaic cells at a fraction of the usual cost. Their secret: increasing the light-catching area 'from postage-stamp to traffic-sign dimensions,' reducing the manufacturing time to 1/10th of the competition's, and thinning the active element to 1/100th the usual thickness over a glass substrate, which enables the production of large panels. IEEE Spectrum provides some technical details about the production process. 'Glass is placed on rollers and fed into the first chamber, where it is heated to 600 C. Then it is transferred into the second chamber, which is full of cadmium sulfide vapor, formed by heating solid CdS to 700 C. The vapor forms a submicrometer deposit on the glass as it moves through this cloud, after which a similar process in a third chamber adds a layer of micrometers-thick CdTe in about 40 seconds. Then a gust of nitrogen gas rapidly cools the panels to 300 C in a fourth chamber, strengthening the material so that it can withstand hail and high winds.'"

5 of 370 comments (clear)

  1. You know what else pays back in 7 years? by KKlaus · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Investing that money in the stock market. Key differences between investing in stocks and solar panels:

    You get to keep your original money with stocks.

    Your stock portfolio won't "wear out" over time.

    I don't understand why people think that getting back to financial baseline on their solar panel investment is some great achievement. Unless you were planning on hiding your money in your back yard for those intervening years, had you not put panels on your roof, you are still deep, deep in the red. Opportunity costs are Econ 101, and need to be included in any discussion of the economics of solar panel installation.

    --
    Relax I just want some peanuts.
  2. Re:The old green question by Devout_IPUite · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Sorry, I'm just so sick of this "liberal media" fantasy I feel obligated to object to it whenever it comes up.

  3. Re:The old green question by MJMullinII · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    WTF? Why would the jews make sure nothing but WASP men got elected? Why would the jewish media favor the Republicans when they're traditionally more likely as a demographic to be Democrats? I think you really need to look at what you're saying, because your conspiracy theories really don't make sense.

    Most conspiracy theories only make sense if you let someone else do your thinking for you.

    The minute you DARE to think for yourself, the theory usually collapses.

    --
    "Don't be a martyr -- BE THE ONE WHO GOT AWAY!"
  4. Re:The old green question by Devout_IPUite · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    You might want to look into the christian fundamentalist interest in making sure the jews inherit Israel. You might also want to investigate who is the 'commander in chief' who ran an administration that actually sold the war on Iraq to the American people. You might also want to investigate what being a minority entails. You might also consider white supremacism is long overrated.

    Seriously, you're making conservatives look really bad. I'm a liberal and you're making me feel bad for them. And drop the anonymous posting, or are you afraid the jews will find out who you are and make you sit on the back of a bus?

  5. Re:The old green question by nobodyman · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    it looks to me far more like a disinterest in direct

    Goddamn I hate when people use that word incorrectly. That's not what disinterested means.