Future of Solar Energy
by Glen Hiemstra on 17/11/08 at 3:28 pm | 
The nation of Dubai announced at the Green Dubai World Forum late last month that the world’s largest manufacturing facility for solar cells will be built in Dubai. The company building the facility, Solar Technologies FZE, is also based in Dubai. They build cells made from thin film silicon on glass, at sizes up to 5.7 square meters. The company has not revealed what the annual capacity of the plant will be. (The company website has a nice set of downloadable reports and briefings.)
A competing technology based on nanotech liquid film applied with printing machines is being produced in Silicon Valley at NanoSolar. They are also working on large industrial scale manufacturing plants.
The prospect for solar to provide a large percentage of future electricity is still understimated, but these developments are promising.
Good links and information here as well.
Glen Hiemstra is a futurist speaker, consultant, blogger, internet TV show host and founder of Futurist.com. To arrange for a speech contact Futurist.com.
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sherry
Nov 17th, 2008
I think we best be getting on with the promise of making America energy independent.Iran just asked OPEC to reduce production by yet another 1.5 million barrels per day.This past year and the record gas prices played a huge part in our economic meltdown and seriously damaged our society.We keep planning to spend BILLIONS on bailouts and stimulus plans.Bail us out of our dependence on foreign oil. Make electric plug in car technology more affordable. It cost the equivalent of 60 cents a gallon to drive an electric plug in car. The electric could be generated from wind or solar. Get with it! Utilize free sources such as wind and solar. Stop throwing away money on things that don’t work. Invest in America and it’s energy independence. Create cheap clean energy, create millions of badly needed green collar jobs. Put America back to work. It is a win-win situation. We have to become more poractive citizens, educate ourselves and demand our elected officials move this country forward into the era of energy independence. Jeff Wilson’s new book The Manhattan Project of 2009 Energy Independence NOW outlines a plan for America to wean itself off oil. We need a plan and we need it now! http://www.themanhattanprojectof2009.com
Glen Hiemstra
Nov 17th, 2008
I watched my Tivo’d copy of T.Boone Pickens on the Daily Show tonight. He makes excellent point that electic and plug-in hybrids make sense for cars, while natural gas is required to provide sufficient horse power for trucks. Thus his plan for shifting natural gas to fuels, and using wind & solar for electricity.
Great comment. Thanks.
Solar Fan Reviews
Feb 7th, 2010
Why are posts like this written – without further followup? Don’t you feel like we are left hanging?