answer:From the article: “Working with bismuth ferrite, a ceramic made from bismuth, iron and oxygen that is multiferroic—meaning it simultaneously displays both ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties—the researchers discovered that the photovoltaic effect can spontaneously arise at the nanoscale as a result of the ceramic’s rhombohedrally distorted crystal structure.” Sounds exciting. Sounds… energy intensive. It sounds like this technology would also depend heavily on oil inputs to make the panels, much like solar does now. (I’ve read that through the useful life of a conventional solar panel, it makes roughly as much energy from solar as it took in oil energy to build.) I would love for there to be a cheap, clean, renewable energy source readily available that would enable us to continue “business as usual”. If this new solar energy you’re talking about can do that, thumbs up. Do you think it will get past the “technotoy” stage and be a serious contender in the energy production industry?