Silicon solar cells have been making steady performance gains for the roughly 20 years I’ve been paying attention. I first got interested during the oil crisis in the 70’s and have paid at least passing attention to them ever since. To this day the issue that keeps them from achieving mainstream usage is that they are more expensive than the power they generate in all but the sunniest of climes, and even there it’s more like a break-even at best proposition.

It’s looking hopeful that things are about to take a really positrive turn. Scientists recently made some advances in material sciences that should lead to solar cells at least twice as effective at converting sunlight into electricity. The remaining key issue is how much will they cost to manufacture – if they can maintain current cost levels or even reduce them, this is extremely positive news. Who knows, we might all have a solar cell roof in 10 years of this all pans out.

Keep your fingers crossed.