retroremakes
December 23rd, 2009, 23:20
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/4/2009/12/500x_goldensolar-ed01-1.jpg (http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/4/2009/12/goldensolar-ed01-1.jpg)When I first saw this abstract image, I thought I was looking at some weird crystals, or maybe some snowflakes under the microscope using polarized light. The answer was much more amazingerest and surprising than that.
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/4/2009/12/500x_goldensolar-ed02.jpg (http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/4/2009/12/goldensolar-ed02.jpg)
These are the new solar cells (http://gizmodo.com/tag/solarcells/) developed at Sandia National Laboratories (http://gizmodo.com/tag/sandianationallaboratories/), the guys who brought us the nuclear bomb and many other wonderful inventions. The cells are made of crystalline silicon (http://gizmodo.com/tag/crystallinesilicon/), which means that they can produce the same energy as most standard solar cells, even while they are 10 times thinner. How much? They can get 14.9 percent solar-to-electricity power conversion efficiency at only 14 to 20 micrometers thickness. By comparison, a human hair is 70 micrometers thick.
As a result of their thickness and overall size, the Sandia Labs' solar cells can be attached to any flexible surface, including cloth. In other words: These things have the potential to turn your jacket or underpants into a giant walking power source. Or a small one. That depends on you. [Physorg (http://www.physorg.com/news180713660.html) via Inhabitat (http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/12/23/amazing-glitter-sized-photovoltaic-cells-look-like-golden-snowflakes/)]
http://ads.pheedo.com/img.phdo?p=1 (http://ads.pheedo.com/click.phdo?p=1) http://a.rfihub.com/eus.gif?eui=2226 http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/ceurOitYaHz1yYaD1MpfQE5UnV4/0/di</img> (http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/ceurOitYaHz1yYaD1MpfQE5UnV4/0/da)
http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/ceurOitYaHz1yYaD1MpfQE5UnV4/1/di</img> (http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/ceurOitYaHz1yYaD1MpfQE5UnV4/1/da)
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?d=H0mrP-F8Qgo</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?a=1afim4ZVxMM:48wttN7Vff8:H0mrP-F8Qgo) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?d=yIl2AUoC8zA</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?a=1afim4ZVxMM:48wttN7Vff8:yIl2AUoC8zA) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?i=1afim4ZVxMM:48wttN7Vff8:D7DqB2pKExk</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?a=1afim4ZVxMM:48wttN7Vff8:D7DqB2pKExk) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?i=1afim4ZVxMM:48wttN7Vff8:V_sGLiPBpWU</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?a=1afim4ZVxMM:48wttN7Vff8:V_sGLiPBpWU)
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~4/1afim4ZVxMM
More... (http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/1afim4ZVxMM/what-is-this)
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/4/2009/12/500x_goldensolar-ed02.jpg (http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/4/2009/12/goldensolar-ed02.jpg)
These are the new solar cells (http://gizmodo.com/tag/solarcells/) developed at Sandia National Laboratories (http://gizmodo.com/tag/sandianationallaboratories/), the guys who brought us the nuclear bomb and many other wonderful inventions. The cells are made of crystalline silicon (http://gizmodo.com/tag/crystallinesilicon/), which means that they can produce the same energy as most standard solar cells, even while they are 10 times thinner. How much? They can get 14.9 percent solar-to-electricity power conversion efficiency at only 14 to 20 micrometers thickness. By comparison, a human hair is 70 micrometers thick.
As a result of their thickness and overall size, the Sandia Labs' solar cells can be attached to any flexible surface, including cloth. In other words: These things have the potential to turn your jacket or underpants into a giant walking power source. Or a small one. That depends on you. [Physorg (http://www.physorg.com/news180713660.html) via Inhabitat (http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/12/23/amazing-glitter-sized-photovoltaic-cells-look-like-golden-snowflakes/)]
http://ads.pheedo.com/img.phdo?p=1 (http://ads.pheedo.com/click.phdo?p=1) http://a.rfihub.com/eus.gif?eui=2226 http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/ceurOitYaHz1yYaD1MpfQE5UnV4/0/di</img> (http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/ceurOitYaHz1yYaD1MpfQE5UnV4/0/da)
http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/ceurOitYaHz1yYaD1MpfQE5UnV4/1/di</img> (http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/ceurOitYaHz1yYaD1MpfQE5UnV4/1/da)
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?d=H0mrP-F8Qgo</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?a=1afim4ZVxMM:48wttN7Vff8:H0mrP-F8Qgo) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?d=yIl2AUoC8zA</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?a=1afim4ZVxMM:48wttN7Vff8:yIl2AUoC8zA) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?i=1afim4ZVxMM:48wttN7Vff8:D7DqB2pKExk</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?a=1afim4ZVxMM:48wttN7Vff8:D7DqB2pKExk) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?i=1afim4ZVxMM:48wttN7Vff8:V_sGLiPBpWU</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?a=1afim4ZVxMM:48wttN7Vff8:V_sGLiPBpWU)
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~4/1afim4ZVxMM
More... (http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/1afim4ZVxMM/what-is-this)