Hugh Bollinger / Thursday, July 14, 2011

Paper power

Sometimes scientific and engineering discoveries can seem more like magic than the products of disciplined investigations. Nothing could be closer to this than the results announced by materials researchers at MIT. They have just produced photovoltaic (PV) cells printed directly onto special copy paper like you would find in any office printer. The result produced is Paper power, you might say. [caption id="attachment_5620" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Solar PV paper (photo credit: MIT)"]

[/caption] According to the MIT announcement, their new process is "almost as cheap and easy as printing a photo on your printer." The MIT development creates an inexpensive, simple solar cell on a flimsy sheet of paper that you can fold and put in your pocket and when unfolded it will still generate electricity in the sunlight. I short video showcases this remarkable MIT development: More development on the new PV process will be still required for the new solar energy discovery to become commercially viable but it certainly gives new meaning to the old adage about "the power of the printed page." WHB

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Tags: solar energy MIT alternative energy photovoltaic materials engineering material science solar power

Paper power

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