Carbon Nanotubes: Building Blocks for Power Textiles

根据美国国家可再生能源协会的说法，利用目前的太阳能技术，屋顶太阳能有可能满足美国39%的能源需求；事实上，如果我们将照射到地球表面的辐射太阳能转化为一小时，我们就可以满足世界一年的能源需求。然而，在很大程度上，在世界各地，基于晶体硅技术的标准光伏组件目前的成本不足以取代占主导地位但正在缓慢耗尽的化石燃料资源。加拿大需要开发一种既高效又低成本的太阳能技术。

According to the US National Renewable Energy Rooftop solar energy has the potential to deliver 39% of the US energy demand using current solar technology; in fact, if we convert the radiant solar energy hitting the earth’s surface for only one hour, we would meet the world’s yearly energy demand. However, largely around the world, the present cost of standard photovoltaic modules based on crystalline silicon technology is not competitive enough to replace the dominant but slowly depleting fossil fuels resources. Canada needs to develop a solar technology that is at the same time efficient and low in cost.