EcoFactor: Progression in 3D solar cell growth.
William Yuan, a 12-year-old whiz kid from Beaverton came up with a new and very innovative technique which transfigures solar energy. We all know that solar cells are totally silent and have the ability to take energy from the sun without making a peep. This seventh grader felt that sun’s energy was underused; hence, with the support of his science teacher he developed something unique for his age, resulting in a 3D solar cell! The regular solar cells are only 2D and only allow light interaction once, while this cell can absorb both visible and UV light.
The 3D cells have the ability to virtually absorb all light that strikes them and could also enable improvements in the efficiency with which the cells convert the photons they absorb into electrical current. The solar cell invented by him provides 500 times more light absorption than commercially available solar cells and nine times more than cutting-edge 3D solar cells. The kid makes me feel a bit underachieved, but the fact that someone of his age could manage to produce such research is victorious. Kudos to William!
The Dark Side:
He has designed a neat solar cell, but it remains to be seen whether it is commercially viable to manufacture. Solar cell advances have seen a lot of press in the last 20 years, but we still aren’t getting them cheap enough to put on our roofs. The fact that there is no real hardcore proof about the advancement of this technology makes this project lack credibility!
Via: Katu
