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WHAT IF SOLAR POWER COULD COME FROM THE PAINT ON YOUR ROOF OR YOUR INKJET PRINTER? NEW RESEARCH GETS US CLOSER TO AFFORDABLE, PERSONAL ENERGY ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE.

SOLAR ENERGY IS STILL MORE EXPENSIVE THAN POWER PRODUCED BY COAL OR GAS BECAUSE MOST SOLAR PANELS ARE MADE USING EXPENSIVE SILICONE CELLS.  BUT SOMENATH MITRA OF THE NEW JERSEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY SAYS THE POTENTIAL OF SOLAR POWER IS TOO GOOD TO IGNORE.

NOT ONLY IS SOLAR ENERGY FREE - THERE ARE NO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.  BUT WE ARE STILL NOT ABLE TO HARVEST IT CHEAPLY.

MITRA IS WORKING TO MAKE THE TECHNOLOGY MORE FEASIBLE BY DEVELOPING ORGANIC SOLAR CELLS THAT CAN BE MADE CHEAPLY OUT OF CYLINDRICAL CARBON MOLECULES.  THE CELLS CAN THEN BE PRINTED OR PAINTED ONTO SURFACES.

SMALL LAB TESTS WERE SUCCESSFUL, SO MITRA IS NOW LOOKING FOR A WAY TO MAKE THE PROCESS WORK ON A LARGE SCALE.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

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