NanoSolar's PowerSheet cells have reduced the cost of production from $3 a watt to a mere 30 cents per watt. This makes, for the first time in history, solar power cheaper than burning coal. These coatings are as thin as a layer of paint and can transfer sunlight to power at amazing efficiency. Although the underlying technology has been around for years, Nanosolar has created the actual technology to manufacture and mass produce the solar sheets. The Nanosolar plant in San Jose, once in full production in 2008, will be capable of producing 430 megawatts per year. This is more than the combined total of every other solar manufacturer in the U.S.
Ed.note. Yeah, it's a great product, but one thing to remember is that the efficiency isn't there yet. Thin film maxes out at 9%, flat panel around 18% and concentrators at 40%. It'll be interesting to see if the cost is compelling enough for business to compromise on the efficiency hit.