In a significant advancement for renewable energy, researchers from MIT, in partnership with Japan, have created ultrathin, flexible solar cells. These panels, which are lighter than paper, don't need rigid frameworks and can be used on tents, boats, and even drones. 

While conventional solar panels are heavy and need support structures, not to mention their fragility that necessitates protection, these ultrathin panels need minimal to no supportive infrastructure.

The research team under the direction of Vladimir Bulovi?, printed the electrodes onto a flat plastic sheet. Following that, they adhered the plastic sheet to a selected surface with a slot-die coater, opting for a robust material known as Dyneema. An electrode is applied to the structure through screen printing to finalize the solar module. Finally, they removed the fabric that had gathered the electrodes, leaving a clean sheet of plastic behind.

These ultra-slim panels are set to transform solar energy production, as they are more convenient and portable. They can be applied in various situations. Reports indicate that the panels can maintain 90 percent of their power generation efficiency even after being rolled and unrolled over 500 times.

These panels can be fixed to different surfaces such as a boat, a tent, or in any emergency situation. These panels might also energize drones since they are very lightweight.