12 year old invents efficient solar cell

As full this planet has become with problems...it does not take long before you hear positive news coming in from some end ot ther other. Humans have survived by adapting to all kinds of changes that have come about in the world and its stories like these that makes one think...that the possibilities of sustainable living is very doable if we put our minds to it.

12 Year Old Boy Invents New Type of Solar Cell

http://cleantechnica.com/2008/09/17/12-year-old-boy-invents-new-type-of-solar-cell/

William Yuan’s 3D cell can absorb both visible and UV light. According to his calculations, solar panels equipped with his 3D cells could provide 500 times more light absorption than current commercial solar cells and nine times more light than existing 3D solar cells.

Yuan received a well-deserved $25,000 scholarship for his research. The next step? Getting his invention to market. Of course, the viability of his solar cells will ultimately depend on their cost efficiency—but Yuan has his whole life ahead of him to work on that.

In his project, “A Highly-Efficient 3-Dimensional Nanotube Solar Cell for Visible and UV Light,” William invented a novel solar panel that enables light absorption from visible to ultraviolet light. He designed carbon nanotubes to overcome the barriers of electron movement, doubling the light-electricity conversion efficiency. William also developed a model for solar towers and a computer program to simulate and optimize the tower parameters. His optimized design provides 500 times more light absorption than commercially-available solar cells and nine times more than the cutting-edge, threedimensional solar cell.