Foldable Solar Panels
Lightweight, foldable solar panels have been designed by researchers at the Idaho national laboratory which they predict will function at 80% efficiency (the best solar panels operate at 40%). The researchers’ secret is the implementation of nanoantennas, which have the ability to absorb not only light, but also heat. The sheet of solar panels is similar in size and weight to a sheet of plastic wrap, but like any breakthrough, this is still in the theoretical stage, as researchers have only simulated the function of the solar cells and design tweaks still need to be made.
