[Wonder Warthog]

The eight year estimate for solar panels producing the energy required to produce them is a little optimistic. Most estimates I've seen is ten to fifteen years. Solar panels, for the first decade they're used, are not so much an energy source but rather a way to pay for ten years of electricity up front. They are simply not efficient enough or cheap enough to be a viable means for efficient hydrogen production from electrolysis."

This is only true if you consider "boule-grown, diamond sawed" type solar cells. Look up "Konarka" solar cells for CURRENT cutting-edge technology.

[RightWhale]

an intellectual property portfolio with more than 200 global patents and patent applications covering chemistry, architecture, processes and devices utilizing the material. With a world-class technical team including two Nobel Laureates, a broad investor group

Didn't see the price in $ per watt on their corporate homepage. Seems like yet another corporation just waiting to be bought out.

[pillbox_girl]

My ten to fifteen year investemnt return estimate for solar panels is for conductive polymer photovoltaics. Traditional silicon crystal solar panels take almost twenty years or more before they return on their investment. Of course, payoff times depend a lot on where the panels are placed and how much sun they get. Conductive polymer photovoltaics do hava a bit of an advantage there in that they accept a wider light spectrum and are more light level tolerant.

That being said, I strongly suspect conductive polymer technology will become cheaper as it matures. However, I'm still not convinced it has the same long term durability of silicon crystal based solar panels. It's a new technology. It shows a lot of promise, but we must remember that promises are not guarantees.