Using carbon nanotubes the barriers of electron movement could be overcome, doubling the light to electricity conversion level of efficiency.

William Yuan a 12 year old boy in Beaverton, Oregon invented a new solar panel that "enables light absorption from visible to ultraviolet light." To overcome the many barriers of electron movement, he decided to use carbon nanotubes which overcame the barriers. By passing these barriers he could double the light-electricity conversion, making them up to 500 times more light absorption than commercially-available solar cells.

The optimized and more efficient design is 500 times more light absorption than the current solar cells. With these solar cells being so much more efficient, less solar panels with these cells would be required, making the cost cheaper, and less space needed to have solar panels. The technology is also more efficient meaning that solar panels with the cells could be more heavily relied on.

When will this cell be used in mass-market production of solar panels?

Via [Katu]