Abstract

"Let there be light",
 Was said first,
But, said an excited Miss Dipole,
"If I have a sister,
We can keep it dark together,
And create charge, at last"

The quantum mechanics and economics of the conversion of solar light  to energy in naturally occurring entities (plants and organisms)  or  man-made solar cells do not as yet provide efficient and  affordable  power. In this talk I shall provide an exposition of the fundamental light-induced processes in biotic and abiotic matter, approaches to current photovoltaic solar cells, and discuss a new physical mechanism which may provide a viable means.