Now Honda Goes Solar Cells!

The Honda Motor Company, best known for it’s super smooth cars and motorcycles, is all set to promote solar energy in a big way with its venture called Honda Soltec company that makes solar panels. What this essentially means is Honda, which has long been promoting eco friendly technology will give solar energy a huge push thus changing the way the game is played. The Honda Soltec factory estabilished in November, 2007 is mass producing solar panels in a massive scale and it wouldn’t be very surprising if Honda launches a solar powered car in the near future.

They began mass-producing the cells last fall and have already created a solar-powered hydrogen filling station in Torrance, CA. The power generated at the station creates the hydrogen for Honda’s concept FCX, an all-hydrogen vehicle that emits only H2O.
Honda committed to reducing worldwide CO2 emissions in 2006 and they took this pledge into consideration when making the cells. Honda reports that their materials and their process reduce the energy used to make the cells by 50% over standard solar. Ideally, this process would make cells cheaper, but I didn’t see any pricing data.

With a Global manufacturing giant like Honda trying to make solar technology popular, it is just a matter of time before other big manufacturers fall in line. The future for our fragile environment is looking brighter.