The other way to get solar energy into the infrared range would be to heat another layer with the sunlight, that would then emit infrared.

Ambient temperature superconductor versions of these nano antenae that turn almost 100% of the solar radiation (or heat radiation, from a molten salt heated by a solar furnace when the sun shines)into electricity. Hehey, the "cold fusion" style dream of solar engineering.

Now if bacteria could be designed to deposit the nano antena organically, like coral deposits a coral reef, that would be cool.  The perfect solar collector built organically.  Grown.

H. G. Wells predicted the "Atomic" bomb in 1913.  Leo Salard patented the atomic chain reaction after recollecting Wells' story.  Scoff at sci-fi at your own peril.  

Those who predict history are doomed to watch others play it out.  Hehey.

Wells ended up bitter that the culture ignored his warnings.  Predicting more friendly technology might qwell future dissapointment?  Doubtfull.

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog John Schneider, Northern Wisconsin

In 1998, I called Advanced Photovoltaics a company out of Boston that was scheduled to release their rolls of solar electric materials using diodes by 2000.  Alvin Marks, I believe was the inventors name.  1998, I had a letter of commitment from a manufacturer with Ebara Solar to license their Dendritic Web products within six months.  Every six months or so we communicated and in 2003, Ebara Solar went out of business without licensing their technology allegedly due to government regulation.  I have not had the resources to investigate these cases, there I have encountered MANY of them.  Ebara is a huge multinational conglomerate that still does billions of dollars of business.

Before spending substantial money attempting to sue corporations for suppression of technology, I would recomment the following:

• Spend $21 plus S&H to purchase a book called "ElectriCity BEYOND THE CURVE OF DEGULATION" available on E-Bay.  I completed this book in 2005 it is an 875-page PDF on CD that includes excerpts from 300 original documents.  The latest edition includes the first ten of 21 chapters in audio.  Section III focues on the historic CAL PUC Rulemaking wherein I attempted to initiate an antitrust investigation against Amoco, Enron and British Petroleum for their suppression of BI-PV Solar since 1984 when the Intercultural Center was built.  
  
• Consider that the BI-PV Solar installed in 1984 on the Intercultural Center at Georgetown University generates about 12.5 watts per SF.  That is adequate to provide each state around 10% BI-PV Solar by 2020. Thus, we do not need to evolve super nano technology to achieve the foundational goals for solar energy.  10% BI-PV Solar Resource in most states would offset at least 1,000 MWp coal-fired power plant or other forms of hazardous generation by 2020.  With an equal amount of wind, each state would have about 20% renewables by 2020 to 2025.  There would be no need to deploy more coal, nuclear or gas with this substantial though small resource.
  
• Consider the cost of lab research and development compared to the consumer market and you begin to see another value for using existing solid available technology we can manufacture ourselves without relying on new technologies being suppressed from the market.  
  
• If you go to the K-SEC website, you will find out two-page $3.5 B Business Summary to install 1,000 MWp BI-PV in Kansas by 2020.  In addition to the increase in Environmental Integrity and reduction in our dependency on hazardous energy supplies, we have also increased Homeland Security, Emergency Preparedness, Technological Expertise and JOBS in Kansas and the Midwest.  From 2011 to 2020 we will install 2,000 SF BI-PV in 100 counties of Kansas every week.  That is lots of jobs and expertise only hands-on experience evolve.  We will not sell any of our BI-PV Solar Systems and our program is limited to creating a foundation of local knowledge and protection with a solar resource of 10% BI-PV Solar by 2020.

• Where people begin to understand the opportunity in this approach, they will not worry about the large companies suppressing technology, because each state will be too busy developing their own local SEC Program of 10% BI-PV by 2020.

• Phase I Demonstration structured around KS House Bill 2018 will provide 10,000 SF BI-PV in each of the 105 counties of Kansas by 2010.  

• To get ratepayer revenue backing, regulators need to have a database of BI-PV Solar Roofing potential.  Thus, we are developing that database at this time.  

• The largest hurdle we have is in getting the seed fund for the program ---everyone is waiting for someone to go first.  My suggestion is to raise the $25,000 to $50,000 to start the process in motion and the program will raise its funds.
  

I hope this helps you so you can help us by developing a network of involvement across the nation.  The suppressed technology will begin to evolve into the market as the momentum of commerce is shifting.  It more of a physics problem of motion than a political problem, I think.  Let's find out if I am right . . .

The K-SEC Model is the safest experiment in the energy industry, today!

Blessings!

Eileen M. Smith, M.Arch. Founder and Dir Since 2005 Kansas Solar Electric Co~operatives Post Office Box 2 Lawrence, Kansas 66044