Washington, DC – The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2008 yesterday, which included $1.2 million for solar energy research at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Nanotechnology Center.  This funding would support research for three groundbreaking technologies designed to increase the efficiency and lower the costs of harnessing solar energy and converting it to useful electrical current.  The U.S. Senate will take up its version of the Energy and Water Appropriations bill in the weeks to come.

“UALR is increasingly becoming known for its aptitude for research and progressive ventures,” said Congressman Vic Snyder.  “I am pleased that this very exciting solar energy research project is included in the Energy and Water Appropriations bill.”

Under the project, a solar energy research team would explore three new, unique approaches to convert solar energy into useful electrical current:

1.  The first relies on quantum principle of confinement where into semiconductor nanocrystals, more than one electron is released by the impact of one photon. 

2.  The second approach targets using nanostructures to form a new category of solar cells based on the union of special polymer films and inexpensive nano materials.

3.  The third approach, if successful, will convert solar energy into an intermediate altered form of radiation, which is then converted into electrical power.