Power Plastic  

Wired has an article on Konarka's organic solar cells, manufactured using ink jet printing. Hopefully this stuff appears on the market in the not-too-distant future.

Yesterday, Konarka announced that they have demonstrated organic (made of carbon/plastic/oil based products versus silicon/inorganic products) solar cells that can be manufactured using highly efficient ink-jet printing. These solar cells do not require the clean room processes that silicon cells do and could make it easier to incorporate solar power into many useful applications.

Sounds like a green victory, but CNET reported that the organic cells are so lightweight and flexible Konarka suggested "putting its plastic on soft drink bottles in stores for advertising." While I appreciate that Konarka needs to generate a lot of "market" to turn a profit for the considerable amount invested in them, I don't think that adding plastic solar cells and screens on the outside of disposable soft drink bottle is consistent with the sustainable promise of the company and their technology.

Creating solar power collecting windows on the other hand (a previously announced Konarka product plan), now that sounds like a good idea...

Although only 5% efficient now compared to the 15-20% efficiency of traditional silicon solar cells, organic solar cells are more flexible and easier to print in colors, transparent or even in camouflage. Konarka is already developing portable, electricity generating buildings for the military.

Although not commercially available yet, Konarka is at work with a number of commercial partners and likely to be available later this year.