| As solar power has matured as a technology, | | | | being developed by numerous companies for solar |
| companies have started applying it to more than just | | | | power applications. This technology essentially tries to |
| houses. Acting as an energy platform for our transport | | | | create tiny solar robots to convert the sunlight to |
| was an obvious application. | | | | energy. Millions fit within small areas and the hope is |
| As an active technology, one of the first uses for solar | | | | the efficiency conversion rate will go through the roof. |
| power was on NASA spacecraft. Although not used | | | | The companies are looking to create a platform |
| for propelling the crafts, interested parties immediately | | | | where the robots would exist in paint. Yep, the paint on |
| started thinking about using solar power for getting us | | | | your home and car may eventually produce all the |
| around in our daily lives. Alas, there were so many | | | | energy needed. |
| problems with the technology, including efficiency | | | | In the meantime, solar power applications are being |
| issues, that the idea never really gained much footing. | | | | developed with a focus on hybrids. The basic idea is to |
| With the massive popularity of hybrid vehicles, | | | | use solar power to provide energy to the batteries |
| companies and research institutes are revisiting the | | | | powering the hybrid cars. Put another way, it is a step |
| idea. | | | | towards the ultimate goal. Honda does not discuss its |
| Vehicles getting all of their energy from the sun are | | | | research, but is believed to have built a facility solely |
| not a viable option at this time or for the near future. | | | | for this purpose and is dumping money into it hand |
| The problem is you simply can't produce enough | | | | over foot. |
| energy to meet the power needs. Until technology is | | | | The creation of viable solar vehicles is dependent on |
| developed to make the sunlight conversion process | | | | the advances of the underlying technology. Solar |
| much more efficient, there really is not an answer to | | | | hybrids should be on the market relatively quickly. The |
| the problem. This technological advance, however, | | | | big breakthrough, however, will be when viable |
| may not be far away. | | | | commercial applications are developed using |
| Quantum dots are a form of nanotechnology that is | | | | nanotechnology. |