While we love rooftop solar panels, there's an exciting alternative on the way for people who want to convert their home to solar power.

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, in Washington's Tri-Cities, is perfecting thin, flexible photovoltaics that could cover an entire roof like shingles. They're waterproof and last 25 years, just like today's silicon solar panels.

From ScienceDaily:

"There's a lot of wasted space on rooftops that could actually be used to generate power," said Mark Gross, a senior scientist at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. "Flexible solar panels could easily become integrated into the architecture of commercial buildings and homes. Solar panels have had limited success because they've been difficult and expensive to install."

We at Solar Pie are excited about this research, especially since it's happening right in our home state! The laboratory's goal is to lower the cost of manufacturing solar panels. The project is being funded, in part, by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Via ScienceDaily.