Nanosolar: Power to the people

Now this is the kind of news that gets me thinking humanity will be around for a good while yet!

Bridas.

Nanosolar coatings are as thin as a layer of paint and can tranfer sunlight into power quite efficiently. Imagine the possibilities, from solar coated shingles to solar lined windows to solar powered cell phones and ipods. Solar powered buildings and homes might just become standard in the future thanks to this innovative technology by Nanosolar Inc. The almighty dollar will launch these thin-film solar cells into worldwide applications thanks to the fact that it's actually cheaper than burning coal. The underlying technology for these solar cells is nothing new, having been around for decades, but Nanosolar has created the actual technology to manufacture and mass produce the solar sheets. The solar cells are produced by a solar printing press of sorts rolling out these aptly named PowerSheets rapidly and cheaply. The machines apply a layer of solar-absorbing nano-ink onto metal sheets as thin as aluminum foil reducing production costs to a mere tenth of current solar panels and at a rate of several hundred feet per minute. The first commercial cells for consumer use are scheduled to be released this year.

Link to Environmental News Network

I`m surprised there has been no interest in this thread. This has incredible application possibilities in my opinion.

Anyway, here is the company`s website:

Nanosolar

And some blurb.

Nanosolar is on track to make solar electricity:
# cost-efficient for ubiquitous deployment
# mass-produced on a global scale
# available in many versatile forms.

Nanosolar has developed proprietary process technology that makes it possible to produce 100x thinner solar cells 100x faster.

Watch videos by CNN, KQED, CNBC to see how we can simply roll-print thin-film solar cells.

The result sets the standard for cost-efficient solar power.

i saw this before, just never posted here.

looks pretty damn good! and no silicon too. any ideas on what the actual energy capture rate is? (the current being 17% with silicon type solar cells)

i wouldnt mind covering my roof with it, would save on some of the bills.

i hope this gets main stream implimentation, would help out alot. and its pretty cheap too, so i dont see why it wont be.


down with oil

currenty it is far less efficent than other solar cell tech....but also far cheaper...so there may be a narrowing of the cost difference because u will need more of it....ie. paint ur whole house & roof with it....naturally they will be trying to undercut the opposition & sell the tech as better alternative to the old style solar panels.

Honestly, I find stories like this depressing. We are advancing in solar technology pretty rapidly. However, if you want to go out and buy any solar tech... it is the same crap that has been on the market for years.

Something tells me this is more of the same. Amazing tech, that we will never see any benefit from.

personnally i not believe anything 'FREE' will be allowed 'at this time'...unless u are paying through the nose for it...but anything really good...no...most has & does get bought up & shelved or stolen....the oil barrens didn't get to where they are today because they were dumb....the future will be sure interesting though.......GB

Solar is well and cool...

Use passive solar to heat your hot water... Some copper tubing, dark tile, and glass.

Use passive solar to heat your home... Solar thermal mass walls.

But nanotechnology?

What about dust in the wind? Have we forgotten that principle?

No matter what you make your tent out of, one day it will be dust in the wind for your children.

Do you want your children breathing printed nanotubes?


Sri Oracle

They have some 'interesting' investors.

OnPoint Technologies -- the US Army's private equity fund

Nanosolar - Investors Link

Nano INK = www.nutraingredients-usa.com... ogy-ink-uv............& the Health Risks link = www.toxicology.org...

[edit on 26-11-2007 by dave7]

Originally posted by bridas
They have some 'interesting' investors.

OnPoint Technologies -- the US Army's private equity fund

Nanosolar - Investors Link

according to their news bulletin, one of their new investors is none other than the carlyle group.

that doesn't sound too good

Nano Solar's power to the people changed from the direct sail of the low cost solar cells, to the wholesale private use of the product for farms to sell the energy to the people. The product is now sold years in advance to partner organizations for large scale power farming.


You will not get it for your home for some time to come, if ever. It would conflict with the profitability of the power farms.