Where are the 70% Efficient Solar Cells? 798
VernonNemitz asks: "Back in 1984 a patent was granted for silicon chip micro rectennas, which would convert visible photons into electricity in the same way that ordinary rectennas convert microwaves into electricity, at perhaps 70% or greater efficiency. Nobody could make such solar cells back in 1984, but we certainly can today, with sizes of antennas that would capture everything from infrared to the edges of UV -- and the patent has expired. So, where are they?" Currently the most popular type of solar technology is photovoltaics, however PV technology only has an efficiency of about 7-17%. With the potential gains claimed by the technology in the cited patent, has anyone even tried to build one of these units to see if it can live up to the given promise, or at least prove to be a technology than we should be exploring?
Beats me (Score:5, Funny)
Rectenna? (Score:5, Funny)
Anyone else get a sorta shifty feeling when they look at that word and picture the consequences of such an invention?
I know where they are (Score:5, Funny)
Is it here yet? How about now? How about now? (Score:5, Funny)
Where are the 70% efficient solar cells? (Score:2, Funny)
silicon chip micro rectennas? (Score:3, Funny)
Production all goes to... (Score:3, Funny)
Where the sun don't shine (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Rectenna? (Score:3, Funny)
Seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few grad students who've been toiling away on this project but can't get any funding. Or... maybe the idea just doesn't work out in practice.
We also can't overlook the fact that lots of important stuff is, well, overlooked. Any comments from anyone in the field?
We knoew where they are... (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Research (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Rectenna? (Score:3, Funny)
The goatse.cx guy [goatse.cx] can generate over 800 megawatts with his rectenna.
Re:Ask yourself... (Score:5, Funny)
90% of slashdot just simultaneously realized that these solar panels havent been developed because they are too busy looking at porn and playing warcraft.
Re:Research (Score:5, Funny)
Notice anyone threatening the Netherlands lately, Wisebeing?
What, or rather Who keeps this off the market? (Score:5, Funny)
Who keeps the metric system down?
We do, we do.
Who keeps Atlantis off the maps?
Who keeps the Martians under wraps?
We do, we do.
Who holds back the electric car?
Who makes Steve Guttenberg a star?
We do, we do.
Who robs cave fish of their sight?
Who rigs every Oscar night?
We do, we do!
Re:Heres a company - up to 80% efficiency. (Score:5, Funny)
What kind of nanotech material are you talking about? Little nano robots that run around catching photons IN their nano baseball gloves and pitching them into nano furnaces that run nano generataors?
If you want people to take you seriously, a statement like, "nanotech materials _may_ be able to produce 90% efficient material," is more reasonable. "of course" is just silly.
Re:Rectenna? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Rectenna? (Score:5, Funny)
Here's the best that Google could come up with for picturing a rectenna [google.com], but the exact image I wanted wasn't found. As demonstrated in episode 101, rectennas are powerful, but also put out a lot of heat.
Re:Where the sun don't shine (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Rectenna? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Why we have to have 80%+ (Score:1, Funny)
And in what year did you post this comment?
Re:Why we have to have 80%+ (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Where the sun don't shine (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Research (Score:1, Funny)
They're not windmills, they're giants! Charge!
Re:Heres a company - up to 80% efficiency. (Score:3, Funny)
Lets see. They claim thier stuff is theoretically capable of efficiencies of up to mumble mumble.
Wow.
Now I know it's got to be an oil industry conspiricy repressing this stuff. With credibility like that...
Re:Beats me (Score:3, Funny)
Brought to you by the folks who gave you cold fusion in a jelly jar.
Re:Heres a company - up to 80% efficiency. (Score:4, Funny)
The real problem with solar cells... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Rectenna? (Score:5, Funny)
I asked her, "Are you sure you want to know?"
"Yes, show me."
So I covered my eyes and shift-clicked.
"Eeewwwww," she said, "is that real?"
"Yes dear, it's real and the burning sensation in your eyes will clear in a few days."
It's scary shared-experiences like these that really solidify a relationship.
Re:Where the sun don't shine (Score:4, Funny)
</cartman>
Re:Where the sun don't shine (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Heres a company - up to 80% efficiency. (Score:5, Funny)
Re:U-235 vs. U-238 (Score:1, Funny)