Submission + - Caltech makes flexible, 86% efficent solar arrays (caltech.edu) 1
strredwolf writes: Caltech has released a flexible solar array that converts 95% of single-wavelength incandescent light and 86% of all sunlight into electricity. Instead of being flat-panel, they stand thin silicon wires in a plastic substrate that scatters the light onto them. The total composition is 98% plastic, 2% wire — the amount of silicon used is 1/50th that of ordinary panels. So as soon as they can get these into market, solar will be very viable and cheap to produce.
