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    Solar photovoltaics

    3. Advanced Solar Power Technology

    When cars are electric, and therefore independent of fossil fuels, it would be real helpful if the method of generating said electricity were fossil fuel independent too. And it can be, thanks to emerging solar power technologies.

    When people think of solar power they typically think of these large flat panels mounted on rooftops, but as solar power technology advances it’s become a lot more than that. Solar nanotechnology has demonstrated the ability to literally paint electricity generating solar cells on surfaces, and strides are being made in the development of flexible solar thin-films. This allows integration of electricity generating layers to a lot more places than just rooftops and other flat surfaces. And of course, there’s also the efficiency in solar power generation, or in other words, the percentage of solar energy received that is converted into usable electricity. It is increasing, mostly thanks to the utilization of nanotechnology.

    That alone is enough to make solar power relevant in the context of transportation. More ways of generating solar power coupled with greater efficiency means a lot more of that electricity electric cars will be spending can come from the sun, and the more reason to make charging stations solar powered by default (including your home).

    But with tech like solar cell painting it is imaginable that the car itself may continuously be able to produce the energy it needs, while driving, or while just tanning in the sun, potentially making stops to the charging station pretty much unnecessary.

    But.. that’s not all.

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    One comment
    1. Drew

      5 August, 2014 at 5:40 pm

      “In Tesla’s case they are known as superchargers and are completely solar powered” = FALSE
      None of the superchargers are solar powered … this is a complete myth. There are 2 in the US that have a few solar panels but these are not enough to power the cars. The superchargers are powered by the grid which gets is electricity from coal and natural gas 67% of the time.

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