Risø; National Laboratory is developing a new type of solar panels which holds much promise for the future of exploiting solar power.

Risø; have been working on cells made of plastic, instead of the normal silicium based cells. Using plastic instead of silicium will reduced the cost of a solar panel drastically. Today one square meter of silicium based solar panel cost roughly 800 USD, whereas made in plastic it will cost less than 15 USD.

So far the problem with plastic panels have been their durability. Panels made of silicium last 25 years, but until now plastic ones have not lasted much more than two weeks. However, Risø have been working on the durability aspect, and have developed cells that will last two and a half year years.

In addition these new plastic panels will be much more flexible, and could be used on a much wider range of surfaces than silicium panels, e.g. a tent.

There are however still research to be done, since the new plastic cells are not nearly as efficient in converting the solar input to energy as the existing silicium panels.

Danish link to Risø , I haven't been able to finde the english version, but it should be there somewhere.

:-) Mikkel