Aidan Dwyer: Better solar designs

13-year old Aidan Dwyer designed a more efficient model for solar power by studying Fibonacci sequences. Today, his divides his time between junior high and collaborations with research organizations like the University of Madison's Resilience Research Center.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Design
• DIY
• Engineering
• Emerging Tech
• Science
• Youth
• PopTech 2011

[basspig]

This design merely spreads out the light gathering ability to various random angles, rather than focusing it all at the same angle/time of day on a fixed planar array. Some of the 'leaves' are going to always be aiming toward the sun at some point in time, but it's not as efficient as a steerable planar array that follows the sun's path via timer motors. His design, while creative, is inefficient because of the random angles of the individual solar cells.

[schnuddergoofy]

The optimal output power of a solar panel is achieved with light shining in perpendicular to the panel. There is nothing to research anymore. ... And in the end, you rate a solar-panel from an economic point of view: You need it to "produce" cheaper electric power than any other source otherwise nobody will use it. His idea for the arrangement of solar-panels might look nice and be useful in northern countries but is certainly not economical and useful at all under standard light conditions....

[natuko8755]

天才！！

[NewnotesJR]

The kid should attempt to get contracts to supplement the power consumption of U.S. military bases both here and overseas.

Some C.O.'s have already attempted to find unique ways of cutting energy costs, this kid could design a military-grade portable version of this solar panel tree and sell them to the military for field operations and FOBs. The savings in fuel alone will make it offer the military can't refuse.

[NewnotesJR]

@basspig

Maybe, maybe not, moving panels takes energy.

Regardless, what's more than likely affordable to the common household?

A properly implemented design will increase energy per square foot of needed horizontal space and could potentially far out-perform current solar panel designs at a fraction of the cost.

I think this has tremendous potential to become a common household item, and if that ever happens, that company will grow like wildfire on dry pine trees.

[NewnotesJR]

@basspig

Probably, but what's more than likely to be affordable by the common household?

[nonsentirti]

13 years old? outstanding

[iAlessandroOriginal]

pretty remarkable

[skittle2008]

He goes to my school, not kidding! He is in my gym class lol and he went to the white house 2 days ago for the science fair.

[justicierofinal]

@Deke101 ok fine, see you

[natuko8755]

天才！！