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Carbon Nanotube Solar Cells On the Horizon

Posted by timothy on from the on-the-horizon-they're-closest-to-the-sun dept.

MikeChino writes Carbon nanotube news abounds as of late, and the next application for the up and coming material may be hyper-efficient and economical solar cells. Led by professor Paul McEuen, researchers at Cornell recently tested a simple solar cell (called a photodiode) crafted from a single carbon nanotube. Surprisingly, researchers discovered that more light shined on the nanotube created even more electricity, a huge difference from today's silicon solar cells where excess energy is lost in the form of heat rather than used to create more electricity."

6 of 150 comments (clear)

  1. The technology isn't important by davidwr · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The question is, it it cost-effective?

    New title:

    More cost-effective Solar Cells On the Horizon

    There, fixed that for you.

    --
    Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
    1. Re:The technology isn't important by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The question is, it it cost-effective?

      New title:

      More cost-effective Solar Cells On the Horizon

      There, fixed that for you.

      New solar cells that are "more cost-effective" require new technology.
      New technology requires research.
      Research is an expensive process.

      To make new, more cost effective solar cells, we need to fund _some_ technology. Carbon Nanotubes are promising.
      Press releases get a college department more funding, which buys new equipment and affords more people working on a subject area.

      So, in short, the fact that this technology is related to Carbon Nanotubes is intrinsically important.

    2. Re:The technology isn't important by Idiomatick · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Yes... that's stupid. Of course it matters what it cost.

  2. Ooh, ooh by russotto · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Another world changing technology that's just around the corner.

    1. Re:Ooh, ooh by H0p313ss · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Another world changing technology that's just around the corner.

      Just for fun, if you're old enough, try to remember what things were like 35 years ago in the mid 70's:

      • The internet was essentially a private network that most of us didn't hear about until the late 80s...
      • No PCs, a portable computer was a dummy terminal PRINTER with a 300 baud modem
      • Cell phones the size of lunch boxes
      • Giant floppy disks with less that 1MB capacity.

      These days the average (new) cell phone is more powerful than all the computing resources used by the Apollo program. Heck I carry my ENTIRE music collection around with me every day!

      Now try to imagine the world in 35 years.... it's just around the corner.

      --
      XML is a known as a key material required to create SMD: Software of Mass Destruction
  3. Re:Homer says... by kheldan · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Carbon nanotubes can't be mass produced economically yet.

    There, fixed that for you.

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