Reader Jeff sent me word of a possible breakthrough in solar cell technology that could greatly multiply the amount of electricity the panels could generate. The study itself is published in a journal with exceedingly high credibility, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. You can see the article here. If you're not a scientist you can read about it in layman's terms at this link.
It seems researchers at Ohio State University programmed supercomputers to look for molecular configurations that would be best at trapping light by causing electrons to go phosphorescent. This makes them available far longer to be "siphoned off as electricity." What they found was a hybrid of plastics, molybdenum and titanium. The material approaches 100% efficiency in converting sunlight into electricity. Current technologies are only about 45% effective in doing so in most practical applications.
This better than doubling of the efficiency of solar panels would obviously have major implications for energy production, making it economically feasible for people to install them even at home. My wife and I looked into putting solar panels on our roof about three years ago but it just did not pay, even with the encouragement of a tax write off. Although the article speculated the commercial introduction of this technology was still years away, such developments stand to revolutionize the energy production of the future. For environmental, economic and national security reasons such research and development ought to be an urgent national priority. An urgent international priority, for that matter.
See some of my earlier posts under the "Energy" heading for parallel developments. Especially pertinent was the July 21, 2008 posting. This is one issue that really can and ultimately will be fixed by technology. When the oil runs out what will we do? It would be best not to wait to find out.
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