Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have discovered and demonstrated a new method for overcoming two major hurdles facing solar energy. By developing a new antireflective coating that boosts the amount of sunlight captured by solar panels and allows those panels to absorb the entire solar spectrum from nearly any angle, the research team has moved academia and industry closer to realizing high-efficiency, cost-effective solar power.

“To get maximum efficiency when converting solar power into electricity, you want a solar panel that can absorb nearly every single photon of light, regardless of the sun’s position in the sky,” said Shawn-Yu Lin, professor of physics at Rensselaer and a member of the university’s Future Chips Constellation, who led the research project.  “Our new antireflective coating makes this possible.”

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I have been fascinated lately by the thought of producing my own fuel.  I have in the past converted a Chevy SSR and a Hummer to run on hydrogen. Yes, real hydrogen, not this “Run your car on water crap.”  But the big problem with hydrogen is “Where do you get it?” Making hydrogen for fuel use at home is not an option.

So, the next best thing is Alcohol. Yes -- Moonshine.  You see, the Oil and Car companies really don’t want you to know that as long as your car is 1985 or newer, you can run Neat Ethanol (Neat Ethanol is just 100% Alcohol) or E85 or even any mixture in between.

In fact, here is a little history tidbit:  Ethanol was going to be the fuel of choice for the Model T.  The first true flex fuel automobile.  Henry Ford was a strong believer that a farmer could grow his own fuel.  All you needed was a still and a little grain, and stills and grain were plentiful back then.

Here is where the plot thickens…