Tuesday 15 February 2011

Nano Technology to Create Spray-on Solar Panels

Have you heard about this? It's a technology being developed by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). They are developing a paint that is made up of nano crystals containing copper, indium, gallium and selenite, that acts in the same way as a solar panel. This paint can be sprayed on to any window and used to generate power in the same way as a solar panel. Not just limited to glass it can also be sprayed on plastic and even fabric to create a solar cell. They are also confident that they can now get the cells to operate at 30% efficiency which is currently the highest possible output. 
The cost will of installation will be considerably reduced, the idea being that the cells will be sprayed onto a thin sheet of card and be accessible ultimately in every local hardware store, allowing anyone to purchase and fit them in their homes or business. The potential for this is unlimited. It will no longer be possible to argue that the cost of switching to Solar Power is prohibitive and  that panels look unsightly and are difficult to install.