[Tokra]

While new solar panels may be far advanced over the last few years, they still do not overcome the maintenance factor.

Yes they do - there are new solar panels that are roofing shingles. You re-roof your house with those instead of ordinary shingles. They don't look much different that other roofing materials. They produce 123W per square meter - the roof on a 45' X 60' house will produce enough electricity to supply an average family. Zero maintenance and free electricity to boot. They are lightweight and wind & water proof. They are also guaranteed for 20 years.

Ovonics has come out with a thin flexible solar panel that can be rolled up like a roll of Saran wrap - again no maintenance.

[scripter]

Yes they do - there are new solar panels that are roofing shingles.

Here's a link on the subject: http://www.oksolar.com/roof. It's interesing how wire hangs underneath that gets connected together under the roof.

[chimera]

The roof is a fixed platform. Efficiency is a function of incidence angle. If you've got a north-south axis like I do, shingling the roof with solar cells would be a loser because the angle of incidence is not optimal.

Couple that with the fact that where we are the number cloudy days is something like 70-80%, then I think it would be a double loser. I don't know about the rest of you, but I want electricity to be there on demand. Something that has a 10-20% availability isn't going to cut it.