...fast!

12-year-old William Yuan has invented a new, improved 3D solar cell.

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, three dimensional solar cell.

You know, this kid might just have kicked us over the Solar Singularity finish line. Grid parity has already been achieved in Hawaii - where there is plenty of sun and electricity is otherwise produced via diesel. But this development could bring solar to the rest of us.

More on 3D solar cells here.