I want my solar-powered Zeppelin!

Solar Energy Cheaper than Coal?

That new technique involves using a device very much like an ink-jet printer to lay down the components of a photovoltaic cell onto a thin sheet of aluminum. The cells are much thinner, lighter, and much less fragile than older silicon cells. The result is solar energy that is expected to cost around $1 a watt for the raw panels, and $2 a watt for an installed system. At that price, solar power is directly competitive with the cheapest and most polluting of fossil fuels.

Cheap is great news for the environment. “Much thinner, lighter and much less fragile” is even better. I’m wondering how thin and light these have to get for solar powered aviation to be possible…?

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