G24 Innovations in Cardiff, U.K. is about to start printing solar cells on flexible, film-like materials. These aren’t as efficient as silicon cells, but can work with lower light levels, even indoors.

That’s just really wonderful to hear. Silicon is expensive and fairly scarce. These cells can essentially recycle the light indoors if you use them on countertops and such. Just think of all the unused and underused surfaces that could be covered with these to produce electricity.

No doubt it will be a while before you start seeing much of these, especially here in the United States, but as more companies start printing solar cells they could become quite a bit more common.

Of course, it may be some time before the prices get to where they’re easily acceptable. I don’t know what it’s going to cost yet, but as the technology improves there is certainly hope for it to be affordable for most people.

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