Carbon nanotube based solar panels

Northwestern University professors Mark C. Hersam and Tobin J. Marks are developing carbon nanotube solar cells.  In addition to the lower cost of the raw materials the solar cell is also flexible and can be incorporated into fabrics or other materials such as back packs.  It would be interesting to determine if it could be incorporated into parts of a building exterior.  The solar cell would not have to be a separate and recognizably discrete building element.  It could also be interwoven into the roof material.

This is an NSF interview with Mark C. Hersam on the construction of double walled carbon nanotubes.   He has set up the Hersham Research Group to coordinate research activities on the use of carbon nanotubes for optical and electrical devices.