Quote:
Originally Posted by ApK
I don't know if that is currently the situation or not (I HOPE it's not) but in any case, demand for solar cells will drive innovation and improvements in the technology. It's a classic market chicken and egg thing. People are reluctant to buy a thing until it improves, and manufactures are reluctant to invest in improvements until people start buying.
So even if it's true in the short term, the market effect could make it better in the long term.
I'd like a solar charger for my kindle. I will probably hack up one of the solar chargers I already own to serve the purpose, though.
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Except the US and some others have been pouring a huge amount of money into the field for many years (back to the 70s at least).
Unless someone comes up with an entirely new solar cell, the problems with producing them will remain. These use certain metals and such that are highly toxic and have to be highly purified. Controlling the first and making the second are very energy intensive.
And BTW do you have ANY idea of how much area of solar cells would be required to make the power the US uses? Assuming all sunny days.
About 6 states the size of New Mexico. And what happens to the plants and animals that used to live in those areas? They are now in perpetual dark.
TANSTAAFL.