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By now, everyone knows that solar is the fastest, most economical way to get more kilowatts into the terrestrial grid. Used in satellites, solar energy is also an essential element in both commercial and national defense systems, as recently admitted by the self-named Department of War. In particular, the US Air Force has been lending its muscle to the space solar industry, and they have some pretty good arguments on their side.
More Solar Energy For National Defense
In its new iteration as the Department of War, the agency has muted its once-vigorous support for solar ever since US President Donald Trump swept back into office last year. However, a sign of persistent interest crossed the CleanTechnica radar over the weekend, when researchers in Germany unveiled a germanium-based solar module that set a new world record for solar conversion efficiency.
Following some digging through the Intertubes, we find that germanium is in short supply here in the US, and that’s a problem. Germanium is used in high-end solar cells and it also appears in infrared optics, night vision systems, surveillance windows, and weapon sights among other defense applications.
