Solar energy is now being taken to a whole new level-but it's a
smaller level this time, not a bigger one. A solar cell no
larger than the dot over the letter "i" is breaking records by
setting new standards for efficiency. Particularly in hot, dry
regions, this solar-provided power could be much less expensive,
making solar energy more competitive with conventional energy
sources. In this issue of SIGNAL Magazine, which features a
focus area on energy technologies, Technology Editor George I.
Seffers discusses the tiny tot of the solar industry in his
article "Dot-Sized Solar Cell Supplies Substantial Power."
Developed in part with $3 million in seed money from the U.S.
Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL),
the solar dot has earned its reputation as a powerhouse of
concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) energy. First, the NREL verified
late last year that the cell converts into electricity up to 41
percent of the sunlight reflected onto it-one of the highest
conversion rates ever recorded