The most efficient solar cells to date can convert nearly half of the sunlight that reaches them into electricity. If these powerful solar cells (twice as efficient as standard solar panels sold today) were to become widely available, they could dramatically reduce not only the cost of solar energy, but also the amount of land and materials needed to build them.
The problem is that these ultra-efficient cells are designed to power satellites in space and are manufactured using very expensive materials. They cost just a fraction of the money…