The team found that these panels to be nearly as effective as conventional sun-tracking solar panels. The new panels are 36 percent more efficient that stationary panels compared to 40 percent for traditional motorized units. Of course these new panels are also a tenth of the weight of the trackers, making them ideal for home installation. "We think it has significant potential, and we're actively pursuing realistic applications," Lamoureux continued. "It could ultimately reduce the cost of solar electricity."

This is not the first use of kirigami in an industrial application, mind you. Arizona State recently unveiled a stretchable battery based on the folding and cutting technique. Similarly, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology has employed origami to build a foldable UAV; a team from Hiroshima University have created an origami bridge that unfolds like an accordion; and MIT even built a self-folding drone capable of examining your insides.