Could we be on the verge of an energy revolution? This recent NY Times article gives me hope.
Nanosolar is a Silicon Valley startup that has developed a material that can be “painted” onto aluminum sheets that convert solar energy into electricity. At 1/100 the thickness of older panels, the idea is to roll them off like newspaper for cheap. Nanosolar predicts that when production begins, they’ll cost the consumer $1 per watt instead of the $2.1 per watt that coal costs.
Some financial news is abuzz with talk of a new bubble, where Silicon Valley investors do for alternative energy what they did for the tech boom. Well, bring it on!
I look forward to when Nanosolar sheets become as common as iPods. But, the cynic in me pictures some big oil company plopping down an irresistible couple billion bucks so they can buy the patent and sit on it like they did with that super efficient, mid-twentieth century battery featured in the movie, “Who Killed the Electric Car.”
But, maybe not this time. Maybe we’re on the verge of a cosmic awakening to the age of renewable energy. With the perfect storm of high energy prices, global warming, public awareness, promising technologies, and venture capitalists; maybe it’s time.
Nanosolar is a Silicon Valley startup that has developed a material that can be “painted” onto aluminum sheets that convert solar energy into electricity. At 1/100 the thickness of older panels, the idea is to roll them off like newspaper for cheap. Nanosolar predicts that when production begins, they’ll cost the consumer $1 per watt instead of the $2.1 per watt that coal costs.
Some financial news is abuzz with talk of a new bubble, where Silicon Valley investors do for alternative energy what they did for the tech boom. Well, bring it on!
I look forward to when Nanosolar sheets become as common as iPods. But, the cynic in me pictures some big oil company plopping down an irresistible couple billion bucks so they can buy the patent and sit on it like they did with that super efficient, mid-twentieth century battery featured in the movie, “Who Killed the Electric Car.”
But, maybe not this time. Maybe we’re on the verge of a cosmic awakening to the age of renewable energy. With the perfect storm of high energy prices, global warming, public awareness, promising technologies, and venture capitalists; maybe it’s time.
3 comments:
Nice post, dude! Since the nanosolar material goes on aluminum sheets, I wonder if they could build it into the aluminum of car frames. So your electric or hybrid car could be constantly soaking up extra juice.
Seems like a good idea to me, but it's going to take some time. Nanosolar recently got their plant up and running and now they are back ordered for about 2 years. But, the future does look bright.
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