TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Component: The photovoltaic device comprises a P-N diode or a P-I-N diode. It further comprises a Schottky diode, and at least two electrical contacts. Preferred Method: The electrical contact is applied to the device by methods including evaporating or screen printing metal into the device.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Material: The photovoltaic material is amorphous silicon or silicon-carbon alloy. It is provided in the form of cadmium telluride, gallium arsenide, copper selenide or copper indium diselenide.Preferred Component: The photovoltaic device further comprises a layer of transparent electrically conductive material in the form of indium tin oxide. It further comprises a layer of a metallic material in the form of aluminum. It preferably does not comprise any layers of indium tin oxide or of aluminum.Preferred Method: The silicon-carbon alloy may is formed by thermal decomposition of a mixture of methane and silane gases and deposition into the silicon surface. The carbon fiber is polished before the step of depositing the amorphous silicon into the substrate of carbon fiber.Preferred Dimension: The thickness of the photovoltaic material is 0.1-5, preferably not greater than 0.5 microns.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Material: The photovoltaic material is amorphous silicon or silicon-carbon alloy. It is provided in the form of cadmium telluride, gallium arsenide, copper selenide or copper indium diselenide.Preferred Component: The photovoltaic device further comprises a layer of transparent electrically conductive material in the form of indium tin oxide. It further comprises a layer of a metallic material in the form of aluminum. It preferably does not comprise any layers of indium tin oxide or of aluminum.Preferred Method: The silicon-carbon alloy may is formed by thermal decomposition of a mixture of methane and silane gases and deposition into the silicon surface. The carbon fiber is polished before the step of depositing the amorphous silicon into the substrate of carbon fiber.Preferred Dimension: The thickness of the photovoltaic material is 0.1-5, preferably not greater than 0.5 microns.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Component: The carbon fiber composite comprises carbon fiber and epoxy resin. It further comprises a non-electrically conductive protective coating, where the carbon fiber and the photovoltaic material are encased by the non-electrically conductive coating. The protective coating is in the form of an epoxy resin.Preferred Condition: The carbon fiber has been carbonized at greater than 2000degreesC.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - TEXTILES AND PAPER - Preferred Component: The photovoltaic device is in the form of fabric including carbon fiber fabric or carbon fiber strands.