On 9 Aug 2006 11:27:58 -0700, "M" wrote in
.com:

That's a huge amount of ethanol to be made from corn or other
plants, plus the cost and the energy in distillation.

You forgot to mention the cost of growing the corn.

Ethanol production requires:

Land
Farm equipment for planting, irrigating and harvesting
Fuel for the farm equipment
Irrigation water
Fertilizers
Insecticides
Distillation equipment
Fuel for the still
Water for fermentation (CO2 byproduct)
Labor, labor, labor

So, if all the costs are factored in, Ethanol is probably more
expensive than gasoline.

But the farm lobby is happy.

The next generation of photovoltaic equipment may be the ultimate
answer to energy the shortage. With solar there are no moving parts,
nor nuclear radiation emissions, nor decommissioning costs, nor waste
storage costs.


http://world.honda.com/news/2005/c051219.html

Corporate December 19, 2005
Honda to Mass Produce Next-Generation Thin Film Solar Cell

TOKYO, Japan, December 19, 2005 – Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced its
plan to begin mass production in 2007, of an independently developed
thin film solar cell composed of non-silicon compound materials, which
requires 50% less energy, and thus generate 50% less CO2, during
production compared to a conventional solar cell. A mass production
plant with annual capacity of 27.5 megawatts will be established at
Honda’s Kumamoto factory.

Honda will produce and sell solar panels in a limited area, starting
from 2006 fall, using assembly line within Honda Engineering Co.,
Ltd., the production engineering subsidiary of Honda.

By using thin film made from a compound of copper, indium, gallium and
selenium (CIGS), Honda’s next-generation solar cell achieved a major
reduction in energy consumed during the manufacturing process to
approximately 50% of the amount required by conventional crystal
silicon solar cells. Thus, this new solar cell is more
environmentally-friendly by reducing the amount of CO2 even from the
production stage. Further, this next-generation solar cell has
achieved the highest level of photoelectric transfer efficiency for a
thin film solar cell (almost equivalent to the conventional crystal
silicon solar cell).

Since spring 2002, Honda has been using and monitoring the performance
of this solar cell, first at the Outboard Engine Plant in Hosoe, and
then also at 12 other Honda facilities including Honda Engineering
headquarters and the Honda Wako Building in Japan and 3 overseas sites
such as the U.S. and Thailand.

Achieving lower costs and higher photoelectric transfer efficiency is
required in order to expand use of solar cells which will help protect
the global environment. This non-silicon thin film solar cell has been
attracting significant attention as a potential solution to these
challenges. The only remaining challenges were the stabilization of
performance and development of mass production technologies. The mass
production of Honda’s next-generation solar cell became possible with
a new mass production process for thin film solar cells developed
independently by Honda Engineering – a production engineering company
that has long developed production equipment and technologies for
Honda’s motorcycle, automobile, engine, electric motor for hybrid
vehicles and other items.

In addition to its effort to lower environmental load through
achieving reduced emissions and higher fuel efficiency, as the first
automaker to enter into solar cell business, Honda will contribute to
the effort to prevent global warming through production and sales of a
clean energy source which does not use fossil fuels. In its vision for
2010, Honda has committed itself to take on new challenges in new
areas and to develop environmentally-friendly and sustainable energy
technologies. Honda’s entrance into the solar cell business with
independently developed technologies is an example of the realization
of Honda’s 2010 vision.


About New Mass Production Line

Location: Within the current site of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Kumamoto
Plant

Establishment: The line will become operational in latter half of 2007

Facility size: 12,000 square meters

Production capacity: 27.5 megawatts annually, (Equivalent amount of
electricity to power approximately 8,000 houses when calculated at
3.5kw per house)

Product/Use: Solar cell panel for individual residential use and
public industrial use

-----------------------

Here's a picture and article of Nanosolar's product:
http://www.nanosolar.com/cache/merc081504p.htm
http://www.nanosolar.com/cache/