These Printed Solar Panels Aren’t as Sexy as Elon Musk’s Roofs, but They’re More Groundbreaking

A team of researchers in Australia has created a solution that could make solar energy far more accessible.

While Tesla enters the order-taking stage for its new solar roofs, which cost about the same as regular roofs, scientists in Australia think they’ve found an even cheaper solution: 2-D printed solar panels.

A team of researchers at the University of Newcastle is in the testing phase for the new invention. According to Mashable, the bendable solar panels are printed on plastic film that’s less than 0.1 millimeter thick.

The panels are made mostly of polyethylene terephthalate, the material used to create soft drink bottles. That also means they’re recyclable, so old panels can be melted down and formed into new ones. Read more…