TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING - Preferred Panel: The solar panel is configured such that light incident on an input surface of the first photovoltaic cell that passes through the first photovoltaic cell and exits an output surface of the first photovoltaic cell is incident on an input surface of the second photovoltaic cell and enters the second photovoltaic cell. The second photovoltaic cell comprises an infrared sensitizing material layer comprising quantum dots. The quantum dots are lead sulfide (PbS) quantum dots or lead selenide (PbSe) quantum dots. The second photovoltaic cell comprises an infrared sensitizing material layer comprising quantum dots. The quantum dots are PbS quantum dots or PbSe quantum dots. The solar panel further comprises argon gas, where the first photovoltaic cell and the second photovoltaic cell are positioned such that at least a portion of the light passing through the first photovoltaic cell passes through the argon gas prior to entering the second photovoltaic cell. The second photovoltaic cell is sensitive to photons having a wavelength of 850-2000 nm, preferably less than 850 nm. The first photovoltaic cell is sensitive to photons having a wavelength of 400-850 nm. The first photovoltaic cell is not sensitive to photons having a wavelength of greater than 850 nm. The first photovoltaic cell is not sensitive to photons having a wavelength of greater than 1 mu m. The second photovoltaic cell comprises a transparent anode and a transparent cathode. The transparent anode comprises at least one material selected from indium tin oxide (ITO), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), indium zinc oxide (IZO), a silver nanowire, and a magnesium:silver/Alq3 stack layer, and where the transparent cathode comprises at least one material selected from ITO, CNTs, IZO, a silver nanowire, and a magnesium:silver/Alq3 stack layer. Moreover, at least one of the transparent anode or the transparent cathode comprises a magnesium:silver/Alq3 stack layer, and where a magnesium:silver layer of the magnesium:silver/Alq3 stack layer has a thickness of less than 30 nm, and where the magnesium:silver layer has a composition ratio of 10:1 (magnesium:silver). At least one of the transparent anode or the transparent cathode comprises a magnesium:silver/Alq3 stack layer, and where an Alq3 layer of the magnesium:silver/Alq3 stack layer has a thickness of 0-200 nm. The transparent anode is transparent to at least a portion of visible light and to at least a portion of infrared light, and where the transparent cathode is transparent to at least a portion of visible light and to at least a portion of infrared light. The first photovoltaic cell comprises a transparent anode and a transparent cathode. The solar panel is configured such that light incident on an input surface of the second photovoltaic cell that passes through the second photovoltaic cell and exits an output surface of the second photovoltaic cell is incident on an input surface of the first photo voltaic cell and enters the first photovoltaic cell. The first photovoltaic cell is a thin film photovoltaic cell. The first photovoltaic cell comprises at least one material selected from copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS), cadmium telluride (CdTe), a-silicon (Si), and poly-Si. The first photovoltaic cell is a thin film photovoltaic cell. Preferred Method: In fabricating the solar panel, the light incident on an input surface of the first photovoltaic cell that passes through the first photovoltaic cell and exits an output surface of the first photovoltaic cell is incident on an input surface of the second photovoltaic cell and enters the second photovoltaic cell. The method further comprises: coating the second photovoltaic cell on an optically clear plastic film; and laminating the optically clear plastic film on the first photovoltaic cell. The method also comprises: forming the second photovoltaic cell on a glass substrate; and coupling the glass substrate to the first photovoltaic cell. The first photovoltaic cell is a thin film photovoltaic cell, and where forming the second photovoltaic cell comprises forming the second photovoltaic cell directly onto the first photovoltaic cell. Forming the second photovoltaic cell comprises forming an infrared sensitizing material layer comprising quantum dots. The quantum dots are lead sulfide (PbS) quantum dots or lead selenide (PbSe) quantum dots. The second photovoltaic cell is sensitive to photons having a wavelength of 850-2000 nm. The light incident on an input surface of the second photovoltaic cell that passes through the second photovoltaic cell and exits an output surface of the second photovoltaic cell is incident on an input surface of the first photovoltaic cell and enters the first photovoltaic cell. The transparent anode is transparent to at least a portion of visible light and to at least a portion of infrared light, and where the transparent cathode is transparent to at least a portion of visible light and to at least a portion of infrared light. In capturing and storing solar energy, at least one of the second one or more wavelengths is greater than 1 mu m, or 0.7-1 mu m or 0.7-0.85 mu m.