Here Comes The Sun
Jun 7th, 2007 at 2:23 pm by Maya
Finally, solar gets competitive (via Ecohuman):
Mr Sethi believes his product will cut the cost to 80 cents per watt within five years, and 50 cents in a decade.
It is based on a CIGS (CuInGaSe2) semiconductor compound that absorbs light by freeing electrons. This is then embedded on the polymer base. It will be ready commercially in late 2009.
“It’ll even work on a cold, grey, cloudy day in England, which still produces 25pc to 30pc of the optimal light level. That is enough, if you cover half the roof,” he said.
“We don’t need subsidies, we just need governments to get out of the way and do no harm. They’ve spent $170bn subsidising nuclear power over the last thirty years,” he said.
Hmmm…yeah, I can’t see lobbyists for the energy industry trying to block this or anything, can you? I mean, who would WANT subsidies?
I do hope it pans out, though. And it makes a helluva lot more sense than liquid coal (shame on you, Barack!).
“I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don’t have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that.” – Thomas Edison, 1931