[cowboy joe]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/11/12/solar.coating/index.html


Sounds promising but not everything that works in the lab works in the real world.

 

[adamtheha]

What about this thin film solar that was supposed to bring the cost down to under $1/watt? I'm holding out for that myself before I start buying a bunch of panels.
Couldn't you get the same effect by reflecting extra light onto the panel with a mirror or something?
But, at least this is getting more attention than "Britney Spears" latest haircut ; )

 

[wy_white_wolf]

What about this thin film solar that was supposed to bring the cost down to under $1/watt? I'm holding out for that myself before I start buying a bunch of panels.
Couldn't you get the same effect by reflecting extra light onto the panel with a mirror or something?
But, at least this is getting more attention than "Britney Spears" latest haircut ; )

Hope you've figured on waiting for a long time. They haven't produced a panel and already have large volume commercial orders that will take at least 15 years to fill if everything goes right for the company.

The problem with reflecting light is contolling it and overheating the panels from the ecxess production. They will over volt the charge controller and destroy it if you haven't planned for this. If you plan for it than you charge controller is wasting excess power when you don't over volt them. The overheating of the panels will shorten there life and void the warrenty.

 

[cowboy joe]

Research is great, at least we're moving in the right direction. Hopefully the new administration will hold to their word and make additional dollars available to companies to expand efforts.