Re Solar Energy

The Emporer commands, I obey.

I have put in an inquiry to Stan and Iris Ovshinsky's company, ECD Ovonics, which produces Uni-Solar, the thin-film photovoltaic material that generates solar electricity - not simply though your roof, because it is your roof.

Iris and Stan Ovshinsky, second and third from left, holding a length of Uni- Solar.

I have asked for general pricing information and pricing for the more specific specs Marcus gave. I'll report back when I hear from ECD's sales division. I have also recommended to them that they participate in the Midwest Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Fair, which will be in Custer, Wisc. from June 23 - 25.

I hold out hope that it will be significantly less expensive than the standard solar cells Marcus researched. From the company's description of the product:

Using our proprietary thin-film, vapor-deposited a-Si alloy materials, we have developed proprietary technology to reduce the materials cost in a solar cell. Because a-Si absorbs light more efficiently than its crystalline counterpart, the a-Si solar cell thickness can be 100 times less, thereby significantly reducing materials cost. By utilizing a flexible, stainless steel substrate and polymer-based encapsulants, PV products utilizing our technology can be very lightweight, flexible and abuse-tolerant. They do not break during shipping, are particularly easy to transport to remote rural areas, thus saving shipping costs, and can be installed without breakage.

The product will be longer lasting and cheaper to ship, both of which are considerable savings on any sort of system. ECD says the product is made with the "roll-to-roll manufacturing process" instead of the "-and-repeat batch process," which makes the product cheaper and more energy efficient to make. And Uni-Solar doesn't include cadmium like most products do, which isn't earth-friendly.

Developing.