New solar panel technology
By gewcew23
@gewcew23 (8007)
United States
October 13, 2010 7:24pm CST
One argument against solar panels is that they are expensive and must people cannot afford the up front price. New technology might make that argument a thing of the past. A Rutgers University physicist have discovered new properties in a material that could result in efficient and inexpensive plastic solar cells for electricity production.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-10/ru-rdp100810.php
8 responses
@hotsummer (13835)
• Philippines
14 Oct 10
I love to have these solar panel in which we get energy from the sun.it will help the earth recover from pollutions, carbon dioxide emissions. what i don't like about using that is our homes and buildings may end up looking weird, surreal, and unattractive. I guess we can get used to seeing these solar panels on buildings and at homes.
@hotsummer (13835)
• Philippines
15 Oct 10
it has been discovered as alternative source of energy many many years back but up until more it has now been utilised in commercial use.only those private individuals or companies that can afford one were using it. and there are very few who has that on their place.i don't think that they will be able to produce it commercially with an affordable price for many people.
@gitfiddleplayer (10362)
• United States
14 Oct 10
The only "Green" products are designed to make green. I don't think that people are ready to forgo an air conditioner for solar panels. Home improvements are expensive and when people's property taxes keep going up and they can't get a good value on their home leads me to believe that all this "Green" isn't going to be worth it.
@gitfiddleplayer (10362)
• United States
14 Oct 10
Pretty soon you will have to install these "home improvements" and not have a choice. I don't support the green movement because its being forced on us. That was my rant.
@morethanamolehill (1586)
• United States
5 Nov 10
Solar has been the "Energy source of the future" for 40 years and it always will be. When I see cells the are manufactured in a Solar powered factory, then I'll believe. Until then we are just wasting time and (very exotic) resources. In Germany they have a saying that "Solar power isn't powered by the sun but by subsidies."
http://morethanamolehill.com/2007/09/25/you-want-to-save-the-world-compost/
@matersfish (6306)
• United States
14 Oct 10
I'd like to see this be true. I'm skeptical, though.
I didn't read the article because Mozilla wants to act like a maroon today and give me the "server not found" message, but I've heard about "efficient" and "cheap" solar converting materials before.
By the time they're processed and marketed, corporations might be charging through the roof - pun intended. (Although, people don't hold "green" corporations to the same standard as other busineses, probably because they're "helping" {have the media under them, literally, more like it} the populous cause, whereas big oil is "hurting.")
And help us all if government decides everyone must have solar power like they must have curly lightbulbs.
But if it's an advancement in solar technology, then I'm certainly happy. Just keep it away from the "green" industry and we might actually start to see some real change. 
@o0jopak0o (6394)
• Philippines
14 Oct 10
well the only thing that is stopping solar power technology is the battery to store the energy, the materials and the cost of the solar panels. Removing the cost and the materials is really good for solar technology because its one of the thing that stops people from exploiting solar energy.
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
14 Oct 10
There is good news and bad news.
GOOD NEWS: Inexpensive photo-voltic cells will solve the energy problem.
BAD NEWS: The discovery mentioned in the linked article only means that inexpensive photo-voltic cells (might) be possible. Possibly decades more research will be needed.
The problem with current photo-voltic cells is that their manufacture consumes as much energy as they typically produce through out their useful life span. Hence, photo-voltic cells do not contribute anything to our total energy needs.
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
14 Oct 10
That sounds great, apart from the inference that we'll have to wait quite a while for the crystals to be available to the public. I'd gladly have solar panels if I could just afford them! The problem is that when the air is freezing, solar panels for the hot water heater burst their pipes. I live in a 4-season climate so I'm not sure how solar panels would work for me.
