At $1 per Watt, the iTunes of Solar Energy Has Arrived

At $1 per Watt, the iTunes of Solar Energy Has Arrived
by David Sassoon - Dec 19th, 2007 in Building Codes Cap on Emissions Clean Energy Architects & Builders Big Business Clean Tech Sector Environmentalists Farmers Governors Hunters & Anglers Investors Mayors People of Faith Scientists The Military US House US Senate Young People

A Silicon Valley start-up called Nanosolar shipped its first solar panels -- priced at $1 a watt. That's the price at which solar energy gets cheaper than coal. Curious that this story is not on every front page.
Still, to commemorate the achievement, Nanosolar CEO Martin Roscheisen (pictured) is reserving the first three commercially-viable panels. One is staying on display at company HQ; one has been donated to San Jose's Tech Museum of Innovation. And the other is was on sale on e-bay.
Starting price? 99 cents.

How did Nanosolar make this breakthrough?
While other companies have been focusing their efforts on increasing the efficiency of solar panels, Nanosolar took a different approach. It focused on manufacturing. Here's what it says on the company's home page:
Nanosolar has developed proprietary process technology that makes it possible to produce 100x thinner solar cells 100x faster.

Essentially, they've figured out how to print solar cells on thin sheets of aluminum with a printing press.
This could be a big nail in the dirty coal coffin. Remember a few weeks ago Google announced its initiative, to develop renewable energy that's cheaper than coal? Here's one Google investment that is already paying off. Other developments worth noting:

IBM's top manufacturing executive has joined Nanosolar
The company raised $100 million to build a factory, and has secured more than 600,000 feet of manufacturing space.
It already has orders for the first 18 months of manufacturing capacity
For more details on what Nanosolar is calling The Third Wave of Solar Power, check out their web site and discussion of 7 areas of innovation they've mastered.