Inspiration comes in a many forms, or rather at many ages – you just have to recognize it. For example, you can feel inspired by 13-year-old Aidan Dwyer, who applied a very frequent mathematical principle found in nature to boost the solar panels’ performance.
And quite successfully, we might add: by using the Fibonacci sequence (which is naturally found in tree branches) and arranging solar panel arrays in that sequence, one can generate up to 20% more energy than if the panels were flat. Also, the period needed to harvest solar power was prolonged by two and a half hours. And in winter, when solar panels are in most dire need of light, Dwyer almost gave them a new life: spanned their output by 50%!
His achievements didn’t go unnoticed: besides being congratulated by the Town of Huntington for his activity, the innovation for the solar panels alone earned him the “2011 Young Naturalist” award in July last year from the Museum of Natural History in New York.
The innovation also earned him a provisional patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which is perhaps the most important recognition of them all.
If at 13 he is so “interested in science because it helps the world,” he’s someday probably going to put his innovations in practice for the good of humanity. Three and a half years ago we’ve been writing about William Yuan, who discovered 3D solar cells while he was twelve.
[via NorthportPatch]
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