Has the sun finally risen on photovoltaics?

The idea of solar generated electricity dates to discovery of the photovoltaic (PV) effect in 1839 through to the first silicon solar cell in 1954. But even with concerns about oil and the environment, PV currently generates less than 0.1% of the world´s electricity. We present here the case that PV is on the verge of becoming a major source of electrical power through a principle similar to that which underlies VLSI — the reduction of unit cost through nanomanufacturing.