Full Story at Discovery.com: http://dsc.discovery.com/gear-gadgets/top-6-innovations-in-solar-power.html

By Derek Markham
Fri Oct 14, 2011 07:08 AM ET

Our energy systems are in need of a serious tuneup, for a number of reasons. Using predominantly petroleum (and other fossil fuel) products for energy production has a couple of major drawbacks, including limited supplies, the release of greenhouse gases and other pollutants during use, and for most countries, the dependence on foreign oil and coal supplies (and the inevitable price increases that go along with that).

But the solar power industry has been pushing out innovations right and left, some of which have the potential to make a serious (and positive) impact on our energy systems.

Here are 6 of the top solar power innovations:

1. Thin Film Solar

Harvesting solar energy doesn’t have to mean using huge solar panels anymore, thanks to innovations insolar thin film technology. These solar films can be ‘printed’ in rolls, which greatly reduces both the cost and the installation, as well as opening up more opportunities for placement of these solar power producers (such as being integrated into the roofing materials of buildings).

2. Solar Windows

Windows which have been treated with a new electricity generating coating remain see-through, yet have the ability to convert sunshine to energy. The coating of these solar windows produces the world’s smallest functional solar cells, (measure less than 1⁄4 the size of a grain of rice!) and can be applied at room temperature, with no need for specialized production facilities.

3. Solar Balloons

This solar balloon isn’t a hot air balloon powered by the sun — it’s a way to use existing technology to harvest solar power on arrays of silvery balloons. Big plastic balloons concentrate and direct solar energy onto solar cells using readily available (and relatively low-cost) components.

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