Teen uses Fibonacci sequence to make solar energy breakthrough

[DaveC426913]

I may be wrong here but if the 2 arrays in the picture are the controls (of each other) surely the tree with 17 panels and the standard arrangement with 10 (41% less) isn’t a really fair assessment

He would merely have to apply a 41% conversion factor. For all we know he is. Probably not fair to judge him on his experimental procedure without knowing what it actually is.

 

[sendthis]

The type of thinking we need to discourage is, e.g., that a modicum of effort is all you need to do to get definitive answers.

Hopefully, you're not implying that's what I'm doing. I think there's a very big difference between saying, "Good job kid, and smart thinking" to a 13-year-old and handing out patents left and right like our government. However, just because someone spends a modicum of effort, doesn't mean there isn't a definitive answer. That article certainly was a far cry from a peer reviewed journal article, so let's not be hasty to discount his contribution.

I don't think anybody^* in the world is criticizing the kid -- he's probably the worst victim of the media's misbehavior.

Well, this is the part I took exception with the most.
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If we encourage this type of thinking I doubt our younger generation will grow up to be intelligent, perhaps artistic.

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*: I'm exaggerating, of course. There are probably a few counterexamples to my claim

There's always a counter-example to every claim. Being skeptical is important.

 

[Dale]

I think that the kid did a good science fair project type experiment. There was not a lot of heavy theoretical analysis, but that kind of analysis is not expected for a science fair level project. He did indeed prove that his specific tree-inspired arrangement collected more sunlight than the same number of panels in a specific roof-top arrangement.

I think that the only problem was that someone over-generalized the results and hyped it beyond reason. I don't know if the over-generalization was from the kid himself or from others, but either way he did an excellent science fair project.

 

[Drakkith]

Agreed DaleSpam. The kid did a great job from what I can tell, even if he was incorrect.

 

[cjl]

I think that the kid did a good science fair project type experiment. There was not a lot of heavy theoretical analysis, but that kind of analysis is not expected for a science fair level project. He did indeed prove that his specific tree-inspired arrangement collected more sunlight than the same number of panels in a specific roof-top arrangement.

Actually, no he didn't. He was measuring the open circuit voltage generated by the solar cells, which has just about no relation to their power capability. The correct way to measure it would be to apply a load to the output and measure the power, and if that was done, I would be willing to bet that the roof-top arrangement would prove superior.

 

[Dale]

That's fine for a science fair. Certainly better than a baking soda volcano. At least he made a hypothesis, devised an experiment, and made measurements to test it. It doesn't have to be more than that.

 

[Hurkyl]

However, just because someone spends a modicum of effort, doesn't mean there isn't a definitive answer.

Er, sure, but so what? That someone spends a modicum of effort does mean we cannot label his results as definitive.

Well, this is the part I took exception with the most.

That's fine, but I'm taking exception to other parts of your post, such as where you seem to be defending -- even praising -- the way the media handles things like this.

I think you have a pet issue that you are overly focused on, leaving you blind to the significant harm that the media has done both to this kid and possibly to others.

 

[baywax]

Yes, which can be done with any configuration just by spacing them out more - and taking up more room. That is not an advantage specific to this design.

I thought this design would take up more vertical space and let more sun hit the ground.