SunPower Corporation has reinvented the traditional solar panel, making it more efficient for capturing the sun’s rays. Their back contact silicon PV panels are designed so that the electrical contacts are in the back of each cell. This allows more area to be dedicated to catch the sun. The panels are rising in popularity because they are 50 percent more efficient than traditional panels. The U.S. Department of Energy was so impressed with the design that they covered the roof of their headquarters in D.C. with these panels in September of 2008.

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