The waste from manufacturing has raised concerns within the industry, which fears that the problem, if left unchecked, could undermine solar's green image at a time when companies are facing stiff competition from each other and from low-cost panel manufacturers from China and elsewhere.

NPR: Solar Industry Grapples With Hazardous Wastes

The U.S. military has also invested in a range of flexible solar-panel technologies designed to power everything from night vision equipment and image intensification devices to laser-range finders, battlefield-ready laptop computers.

FORBES: Solar Power Brings NetCentric Warfare to Afghanistan