European scientists have developed a new way to manufacture thin, flexible solar cells that are so lightweight that they could be sewn into clothes. Sound dumb? Not if you have to lug around a bunch of AC chargers for your laptop, your cellphone, your iPod, your camera, your PDA, and all the other electronic junk we burden ourselves with these days.
The cells are not as efficient as rigid solar cells, but the energy is free, so who really cares if all you need are a few watts to keep small devices trickle-charged. Cheap solar cells could transform the economies of impoverished nations that can't afford the expensive first world AC infrastructure.
Is your region ready? Think you don't have any existing assets that might be leveraged to manufacture this stuff? Think your workforce is not ready?
We're talking about clothing....do you have any shuttered textile plants?
As always, look ahead twenty years and ask where your region and community wants to be. Set goals, make prudent investments, and stay the course.