12 year old Improves Solar Invention!

M.I.T sign this guy up . Listen !!!!! Get a Govt Grant and invest in R&D , then go into full production . Let me know the companys name so I can buy stock in it .lo awin win situation !!!!!!

Massive kudos to this kid.

William Yuan, Do you need private investors? You know where to find me (just click on my lack of icon!)

what a fantastic story, and great on the kid who discovered it - and even more encouraging to hear that he's actually being taken sersiously and getting a grant to develop his ideas himself. And even better to hear it all started with Lego!

It's only going to get better from here. The time has come for renewable energy and breakthroughs like this will make it much easier to end our addiction to oil. The oil industry can't hold its grip forever. A better day is on the way, we can all do our part to live more sustainably.

Apparently those who have done their own research about 3D solar cells need to do some reading, like into this story. HE DID NOT INVENT THE FIRST 3D SOLAR CELL! He improved it by having it absorb both visible and UV light. HIS 3D solar cell can also absorb 500 time more than commercially available solar cells and 9 times more than the CURRENT 3D solar cells. You should read EVERYTHING before you post your objection.

You are a brilliant, global thinking young man and you will certainly get the Nobel Prize in Science one of these days. It gives me hope in our younger generation. Thank you, William!

Sorry to burst everyones bubble, but this technology has been under development for some time.

Read the article about how Georgia Tech is using nano tech and 3d solar cells below.

http://media.cleantech.com/1032/3d-solar-cells-boost-efficiency-reduce

Sounds like another case of the Chinese stealing something that was already invented by Americans. His teacher and parents should be ashamed for using him this way.

Finally!!!!!

This is a great thing. Solar energy is the best type of energy. Forget bio-fuels and regular fuels. Solar power is the only never ending reliable energy source. Its brillant and a source that needs more attention then a 12 year old boy(granted he is a genesis). I hope he truely makes something out of this.

way cool. So exciting. And did you see this 12 year old's resume/accomplishments? Damn!!

This is the kind of thing which makes me think, anything is possible xD

cool

YES!
this is a reinforcement that the potentiality of each new generation is going to show significant improvements in every stretch of the imagination!
the children ARE the future and we NEED to encourage them and the schools they attend.

This definitely beats my prized accomplishment when I was twelve - earning a euphonium horn solo at our school band concert.

this kid is a SCIENTIFIC PIMP!

This kid is gonna be part of NASA one day. That our start his own.

at first, i was afraid
i was petrified..
but now..

holy crap, i want to hang out with this kid.

Yes, Ali baba and the forty thieves waiting around every corner for him and his ideas. What a shame there are those crooks who have nothing but money and do nothing but profit from genius minds. Where is the justice in that? Is that what capitalism was meant to be. There are a few worthless lazy asses who do nothing but set on their fat ass a make a fortune off of the laboring and working class. It is great to see that this kid probably does not have the lame braining of sports and hollywood idolism to impair his artistic mind. Thank the gods for the few who can take life seriously and try to improve conditions on earth and the universe

And EDISON or the Gov. haven't raped the kid yet I am kind of surprised, more power to ya, don't let them take it market it and sell it to them, don't let their fangs come out.

this kid is so amazing. wow the sad part is bush had 8 years to deal with this crap and it is being solved by a 12 year old

Thank you for sharing this very interesting story. There is, however, a clarification that needs to be added.

The 3D solar cell was invented several years ago at the Georgia Tech Research Institute by our team of scientists and engineers.

The Georgia Tech Research Institute (www.gtri.gatech.edu) has been making 3D solar cell prototypes of this design since 2004.

You can read about the work in our April 2007 news release online at http://www.gtri.gatech.edu/casestudy/3d-solar-cells-boost-efficiency.

Our work has patents pending in the US and abroad. We have also published our research widely in an number of highly regarded research journals including the Journal of Applied Physics, Journal of Materials and Carbon.

Our technology has been officially licensed by IP2BIZ for several years now and we estimate that our 3D solar cell will be ready for commercial release within 5 years.

It is wonderful to see a student taking a real interest in science and math. We are also happy to hear of William’s interest in 3D solar cells. We encourage him to contact the Georgia Tech Research Institute so he may be connected with our lead researcher (Dr. Jud Ready), who would love for him to visit our laboratories to see how we create our photovoltaic cells. Who knows – maybe William can contribute to our groundbreaking work.

Also, notice in the background of the picture there is a picture that says "current 3D cells". Maybe William has made an improvement on Dr Readys' design that makes it far superior?

Good for this kid. And Dr. Ready. And everyone else working to solve our fossil fuel addiction. Imagine if we were spending $10 billion a month on alternative energy instead of a dead end war?

This is great! I wish my California grade-school teachers would have encouraged me more in science. Touch, Oregon!

3D solar panels. Its so crazy it might just work

It's scary to think that whatever we find to make things better might be controlled by those who don't want things to change....

Woohoo! Give it up for the Asians! (just kidding) The world really does lay in the hands of children. This kid is amazing and I know he'll change the world for the better. His parent's must be so proud of him!

Maybe there are some unseen distinctions between Dr Ready's solar cell and Yuan's.

I'm going to suspend cynicism.

This story is the result of an over-excited science teacher who wasn't aware (or didn't care) that his student re-invented the wheel. However, it is still nice to know that not all American kids are dumb and lazy.

I think its important to note that its possible this kid didnt come up with this idea. Because its already been thought of, plus what TomLSmith pointed out, his images are extremely similar to Dr. Jus Ready's images.

Im not trying to take the steam out of this kids engines, just saying its a bit fishy.

Nonetheless, if this does actually work the way it does, then it should be researched more.

Dang. Too bad th9is got out before the military got their hooks into it. Yohzaw!! Death ray applications!!

It's people like this that should be in the spotlight. Not for fame, but for what he's doing. A 12 year old is helping to revolutionize the way we live. People like Paris Hilton get more airtime for doing.........................umm................er.............does she do anything??? Well, nevermind about that...this kid seems to be pretty smart.

At the same time, TomLSmith has a good point with the kids cell photos looking extremely similar to that of Dr. Jud Ready, maybe it should be looked into a little more.

Nonetheless, this tells me that the younger generation (at least some of them) is actually showing interest in this sort of thing, which is a very good sign.

Incredible! Why didn't my childhood Lego endeavors lead to a scientific discovery?

Wow.

William Yuan is awesome.

How can we help this young man get his 3-D solar cells to realization?

Would love to use Yuan's 3D solar cells in the One Earth Glass house built with recycled bottles that I'm designing especially for families and people living in poverty.

It's pretty embarassing that nobody thought of this until a 12 year old junior high student. That shows where our priorities really are on solving the energy crisis.

This is so awesome! I bet his parents are really proud.

Wonderful!!!!!!

Notice how a young American has made an energy breakthrough without funding from big oil? Is he not motivated by money? How refreshing!

Hmmmmm. Here are a few data points and links about the invention of the 3D Solar Cell. I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

The 3D Solar Cell was invented by Dr. Jud Ready of GA Tech in March 2005. See http://www.gatech.edu/newsroom/release.html?id=1337

The 3D Solar Cell has the potential to be breakthrough in the solar industry. The global and exclusive license to the 3D Solar Cell intellectual property is held by IP2BIZ in Atlanta http://www.ip2biz.com/Offerings/ProofCoProjects.asp#ThreeDSolarCells The license is for sale to an firm that can further develop, manufacture and bring it to market.

What is very interesting is if you look at the animation of Dr. Ready's solar cell, at http://www-stage.gatech.edu/news-room/flash/CNTpv.html you'll notice that the graphics in the photo of this Oregon boy's presentation are the spitting image of Dr. Ready's.

Dr. Ready's PCT patent application WO/2007/040594 was published in April 2007 at http://www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/fetch.jsp?LANG=ENG&DBSELECT=PCT&SERVER_TYPE.../HITNUM,B-ENG,DP,MC,AN,PA,ABSUM-ENG&SEARCH_IA=US2006007290&QUERY=%28WO%2fwo2007040594%29+

May this young man, and all who reach beyond the known, continue to break convention without distraction or hinderance.
If this is the new way to play, let the children play.

There are many young kids like this. That is the point of the next generation coming up in the world and not tolerating the same old ignorant war ridden world.

If he does sell this technology, he better do what Bill Gates did & retain all rights, & still be able to sell it to any company that wants it.
Then this new Solar Panel will be all over the world.

Fantastic positive story showing the innovation of young minds (irrespective of politics.) Kudos to this young man... now hurry and patent it before the government gets it.

I am proud of this kid. I hope he continues to develop more innovative ideas and make them a reality. He can be our future.

And they say the young people are not "intelligent" enough to vote for the president of the United States! Hello, the next generation is blowing the previous one away! Don't let us down when it is election time.

Holy crap this is awesome!

This better not get buried, everyone needs to know about this.

Good for him and the world... I wish him all the success his new invention has the potential to bring.

Damn genius child, making me feel inferior! That solar thing of yours had better be affordable. *mumble, grumble*

that is so cool...i hope the process is economically viable on a larger scale. Even if it isn't, it is certainly a great start!

Cannabis comment aside, this is amazing.