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Nanosolar Powersheet, a very thin film solar panel, has won the Popular Science Innovation of the Year award. The technology uses no expensive silicon and the production process is so efficient that it can make solar cells for about 30 cents per watt, or about one tenth of the cost of making traditional solar cells.
The incredibly low costs are achieved by using a printing press style machine to deposit a layer of solar absorbing “ink” on thin rolled metal sheeting. In addition to low costs, the process is also fast, making several hundred feet per minute.
Backing Nanosolar is funding from Google’s founders and the U.S. Department of Energy.
From PopSci:
Nanosolar’s cells use no silicon, and the company’s manufacturing process allows it to create cells that are as efficient as most commercial cells for as little as 30 cents a watt. “You’re talking about printing rolls of the stuff—printing it on the roofs of 18-wheeler trailers, printing it on garages, printing it wherever you want it,” says Dan Kammen, founding director of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory at the University of California at Berkeley. “It really is quite a big deal in terms of altering the way we think about solar and in inherently altering the economics of solar.”
Via: PopSci
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written by Daniel Bell, November 17, 2007
what are the hurdles to large scale production?
what is the timeline?
what is the timeline?
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written by Webster, November 17, 2007
If you read the link, they have a space and are building a factory to start rolling product next year. They're there, as it were.
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written by Soda Pop, November 17, 2007
OK, someone needs to make a solar and wind generator pinwheel!
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written by zupakomputer, November 17, 2007
Someone should make a hand-crank powered device to roll them off of. Or a treadmill-wheel you can run in to power it.
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written by Magnulus, November 17, 2007
So how much electricity is saved in a house that has had its roof covered in this stuff? 10%? 50% I would suppose that while the family is out for work and the house is just standing there soaking up this energy, they wouldn't have to use their power plant 'lectricity for hours after they've come home. Sounds like a revolution in the making to me.
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written by jim, November 17, 2007
Lets put it on the roof of my Prius so my battery is always getting recharged.
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written by Enrique, November 17, 2007
The companies who are investing on nano tehcnology with respect to producing energy from the sun are having a hard time creating the energy they say they would created.
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written by zupakomputer, November 18, 2007
Nanotechnology is atom-stacking. Like when IBM moved atoms around, and spelt (or spelled, whatever word they are using thesedays) out "IBM" in atoms.
I don't know which atomic elements they used.
That's an example of 'dry' nanotechnology; 'wet' nanotechnology is the biological kind, where there are odd ideas such as building molecular-sized nanobots to live in your body and do things like clean your arteries of cholesterol. Which is kinda like taking the helicopter a few yards down the road to go shopping, because there's already all kinds of rememdies for such things that exist naturally.
Hence why medicine and health is yet another area where they've been green and natural solutions all along for all kinds of problems, which have been supressed and / or eradicated, with remaining solutions also very much in current threat of extinction.
I don't know which atomic elements they used.
That's an example of 'dry' nanotechnology; 'wet' nanotechnology is the biological kind, where there are odd ideas such as building molecular-sized nanobots to live in your body and do things like clean your arteries of cholesterol. Which is kinda like taking the helicopter a few yards down the road to go shopping, because there's already all kinds of rememdies for such things that exist naturally.
Hence why medicine and health is yet another area where they've been green and natural solutions all along for all kinds of problems, which have been supressed and / or eradicated, with remaining solutions also very much in current threat of extinction.
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written by Webster, November 18, 2007
Does anyone have any info on how much power this producing per square foot? If you need an array 4 times the size for the same amount of power, it could make a lot of good inroads but would basically turn a max 4kWh roof into a 1 kHw roof even though the price would be lower.
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written by Brian Green, November 19, 2007
I'm also concerned that there's been no lifetime of the material presented. Silicon panels may be more expensive but the first one in existence is still functioning. If this stuff is able to remain viable for decades, and is able to provide equitable energy to silicon panels as Webster commented about, then I think it's something I'd be willing to put on my roof. As it is, I'll stick with the silicon panels until this technology is proven to be something with longevity.
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written by Mark R., November 21, 2007
I think it's great and would love to see this type of product integrated into many application. But there have been Dozens of announcements from companies all over the country with similar technology and nothing tangible that you can purchase yet. It will be interesting to see who gets the funding to manufacture and who doesn't, there will be a lot of shake out in this field before its said and done. I just pray who ever has invented the most efficient versions of this technology makes it to the market and prospers.
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written by Michael, December 07, 2007
I would like to add some details to the release about the manufacturing process so individuals can understand the methods used to produce the cells.
Many materials we use today are created on what is called a coater laminator which is similar to a rotary printing press because it processes continuous (rolls)of material. The material,called a web,is coated with a substance and then to protect it, another web is laminated onto it. Some measuring tapes are coated and laminated to preserve the printed images on the steel. Another example of a laminated product is a label that must remain stable, when used in a high humidity environment. An example of an un-laminated product producead in that manner is what was commonly known as magnetic tape.
Many materials we use today are created on what is called a coater laminator which is similar to a rotary printing press because it processes continuous (rolls)of material. The material,called a web,is coated with a substance and then to protect it, another web is laminated onto it. Some measuring tapes are coated and laminated to preserve the printed images on the steel. Another example of a laminated product is a label that must remain stable, when used in a high humidity environment. An example of an un-laminated product producead in that manner is what was commonly known as magnetic tape.
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written by no medical exam life insurance, February 15, 2008
Cost has always been one of solar’s biggest problems. Traditional solar cells require silicon, and silicon is an expensive commodity (exacerbated currently by a global silicon shortage). What’s more, says Peter Harrop, chairman of electronics consulting firm IDTechEx, “it has to be put on glass, so it’s heavy, dangerous, expensive to ship and expensive to install because it has to be mounted.” And up to 70 percent of the silicon gets wasted in the manufacturing process. That means even the cheapest solar panels cost about $3 per watt of energy they go on to produce. To compete with coal, that figure has to shrink to just $1 per watt.
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written by Adymax The Printer, March 05, 2008
Sounds interesting ...I've been meaning of buying some "solar power" for my house this summer but I don't know if I can afford it so is this printing on thin film an innovation or is it available for the wide spread market?
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written by The Dann, March 09, 2008
Nanosolar has no plans to make this product available to the general populations of the world. Their focus is currently utility based corporations. There may, after a couple of decades, enough production to make Power Sheet available to a limited number of manufacturers of energy consuming products. The Power Sheet technology will be "built-in" at a considerable profit to the manufacturer
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written by Morgan, July 01, 2008
Actually, someone did make a solar wind generator - they are a company called Bluenergy. Its a german based company that has a US office in NM. I've called a few times to get more information because thier website is ridiculously weak. But they don't return phone calls. So good luck. They have an amazing concept that makes a lot of sense.
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written by Michael Lerario, August 19, 2008
I am big on green products and making a differance in the world. I am located in Pennsylvania and would love to learn more about installing and helping in the distribution process by storing it in my warehouse ready to install. Let me know how I can be certified in service and installation.
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written by daniel, October 23, 2008
Do you think you could make a roll of the Nanosolar Powersheet, put it in a garage roller door type system and use it as a sun shade that comes down over windows in sumer to act as screening and an energy generator
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written by Russell Lee, June 08, 2010
Using solar energy was a great idea when there were no better ones out there. The sun usually shines at least for some of each day. This is the problem, the sun, if it is shining, has only half of the day/night cycle to do so.
Solar power is only the answer if the entire planet was covered with these panels. Then there would be enough sun hitting them some where to provide us all with energy.
The answer is to use gravity as the source for the energy generation, it is available always, not just during the day. The answer is the Pinwheel Generator (www.squidoo.com/pinwheelgenerator), or something like it. It has been given to the world for free.
Regards,
Russell Lee
Solar power is only the answer if the entire planet was covered with these panels. Then there would be enough sun hitting them some where to provide us all with energy.
The answer is to use gravity as the source for the energy generation, it is available always, not just during the day. The answer is the Pinwheel Generator (www.squidoo.com/pinwheelgenerator), or something like it. It has been given to the world for free.
Regards,
Russell Lee
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written by Angela, June 17, 2010
Very cool! So this post seems to be from a few years ago. I'm interested to know where the panels are at now?
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When this comes on the market, I'll start a business dedicated to installing it. Seriously.