William Yuan

William Yuan is a sophomore from Beaverton, Oregon. He currently studies chemistry at Trinity College in Oxford University. Yuan has developed a 3D solar cell that has the potential to revolutionize solar power. His project, named "A Highly-Efficient 3-Dimensional Nanotube Solar Cell for Visible and UV Light" was granted a $25,000 scholarship, the Davidson Fellow award, for his education.

At the heart of Yuan's project is a solar cell that can harness both visible and ultraviolet light. Most solar collectors in use today are either photovoltaic, or solar thermal. While visible, infrared, and ultraviolet light are all heavily scattered or absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, ultraviolet light consists of shorter wavelength, higher energy photons than visible or infrared light.

Yuan's solar cells are calculated to absorb about five hundred times more light then a conventional solar cell and nine times more than advanced 3D solar cells. 3D solar cells have been developed elsewhere, notably the Georgia Tech Research Institute. They make use of carbon nanotubes, which allow the cell to distribute the energy it collects without dissipating as much as traditional cells do. William's solar cell utilized carbon nanotubes which double the efficiency of light-electricity conversion.