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Advances on Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "A2: Solar Energy and Photovoltaic Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 June 2024 | Viewed by 11850

Special Issue Editor

Laboratory for Photovoltaics and Solid State Physics (LAPS), Department of Computer Science, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
Interests: solar cells; thin films; CdTe; Sb2Se3; CZTS

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

one of the main challenge of our times is to replace, as soon as possible, traditional energy sources with renewable ones. Among them, solar energy is the most abundant natural resource on earth, and photovoltaic cells can directly convert light into electricity. Thanks to the continuous improvement of the devices and the reduction of the costs, the global photovoltaic market has shown impressive growth rates in the last decades, so as to become a truly cost-competitive energy supply. Anyway, the potential of this technology is not yet fully expressed and much can still be done; for this reason, the world of research is still in turmoil around this topic. The efficiency of photovoltaic devices, whether they are first, second or third generation, can still be increased, and their stability improved. Furthermore, the search for new materials and new processes that can bring advantages in photovoltaic applications is still open and current.

The scope of this Special Issue is to examine original research papers as well as review articles on the most recent developments and research efforts on this subject.

Dr. Elisa Artegiani
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • solar cells
  • materials for photovoltaics
  • semiconductors
  • thin films
  • transparent conductive oxides
  • PV manufacturing and processing
  • PV stability
  • PV applications

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

17 pages, 4302 KiB  
Article
Performance Evaluation of Modified Zinc-Phthalocyanine Groups as an Active Material in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
by Ghazi Aman Nowsherwan, Nouman Nowsherwan, Nadia Anwar, Muqarrab Ahmed, Yasir Usman, Faisal Amin, Nadia Nowsherwan, Saira Ikram, Shaheen Irfan, Muhammad Umar and Wen-Cheng Lai
Energies 2023, 16(23), 7730; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16237730 - 23 Nov 2023
Viewed by 714
Abstract
The increasing demand for energy and electricity and the depletion of fossil fuels are global problems. In recent years, dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) technologies have gained notoriety for their application in solar energy. DSSCs are considered a promising alternative renewable energy source to [...] Read more.
The increasing demand for energy and electricity and the depletion of fossil fuels are global problems. In recent years, dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) technologies have gained notoriety for their application in solar energy. DSSCs are considered a promising alternative renewable energy source to both inorganic and organic photovoltaic (PV) cells. Many types of dyes are being investigated to enhance the light-harvesting properties of DSSCs, but the actual realization of these absorbers in cell structure requires optimum parameters. The main aim of this study was to simulate proposed zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPC)-based structures to validate their design, assess their performance for commercial implementation, and optimize the cell parameters for optimum efficiency. To that end, Scaps-1D was employed to evaluate the performance of DSSCs to determine their optimum parameters. We found that ZnPC and isopropoxy ZnPC molecules outperform others molecules because of better optoelectronic properties. Several other parametric effects, such as photoactive layer thicknesses, doping densities, trap densities, and charge carrier mobilities, were also evaluated to observe their impact on device performance. The results show that moderate thickness, low defect density, moderate doping, and charge carrier mobility are favorable for better device performance due to low recombination losses, electrical losses, and better transport of charge carriers. The utmost power conversion efficiency values found for ZnPC- and ZnPC: PC70BM-based DSSCs after optimization were 9.50% and 9.81%. This paper also suggests a practical method for efficiently using DSSC cells by modifying factors that are significantly reliant on DSSC performance and output. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances on Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells)
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11 pages, 1934 KiB  
Article
Intrinsic Photoconductivity Spectral Dependence as a Tool for Prediction of Open-Circuit Voltage in Organic Solar Cells
by Raitis Grzibovskis, Andis Polaks and Aivars Vembris
Energies 2023, 16(18), 6728; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16186728 - 20 Sep 2023
Viewed by 739
Abstract
Organic materials are known for their variety of molecules. Methods to predict the parameters of organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells are required to avoid the time- and resource-consuming processes of manufacturing and testing OPVs. Usually, the open-circuit voltage (Uoc) is estimated [...] Read more.
Organic materials are known for their variety of molecules. Methods to predict the parameters of organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells are required to avoid the time- and resource-consuming processes of manufacturing and testing OPVs. Usually, the open-circuit voltage (Uoc) is estimated as the difference between the ionization energy level of the electron donor molecule (Id) and the electron affinity level of the electron acceptor molecule (EAa). Various measurement methods are used to determine the energy level values of pure materials, which, when combined with energy level shifts due to the donor:acceptor interactions, make these estimations less precise. In this work, photoconductivity measurements were applied to the donor:acceptor films. Near threshold energy, the electron can be directly transferred from the donor to the acceptor molecule. The obtained charge transfer energy (ECT) shows the difference between Id and EAa in the film. This difference was compared to the Uoc value of an OPV made of the same donor:acceptor combination. We show that this approach provides less scattered results and a higher correlation coefficient compared to the Uoc estimation using energy level values. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances on Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells)
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20 pages, 6471 KiB  
Article
Impact of Non-Uniform Irradiance and Temperature Distribution on the Performance of Photovoltaic Generators
by Petrakis Thomas, Aphrodite Ktena, Panagiotis Kosmopoulos, John Konstantaras and Michael Vrachopoulos
Energies 2023, 16(17), 6322; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16176322 - 31 Aug 2023
Viewed by 987
Abstract
The use of photovoltaic (PV) panels has increased rapidly in the last few years and as a result has become one of the main sources of renewable energy. In this context, it is important to understand in detail how a PV panel reacts [...] Read more.
The use of photovoltaic (PV) panels has increased rapidly in the last few years and as a result has become one of the main sources of renewable energy. In this context, it is important to understand in detail how a PV panel reacts to different environmental conditions and how these affect total performance. An experiment has been designed to investigate the performance of a PV panel under various highly non-uniform temperature and irradiance profiles, generated by artificial lighting. Measurements of irradiance and temperature distribution are related to measured I–V curves and used as input to the five-parameter model. The results show the limitations of the model to emulate the PV response under such extreme conditions and provide useful insights about the effect of the temperature profile on the PV performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances on Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells)
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16 pages, 2624 KiB  
Article
A Solar Photovoltaic Array and Grid Source-Fed Brushless DC Motor Drive for Water-Pumping Applications
by Tanmay Shukla and Srete Nikolovski
Energies 2023, 16(17), 6133; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16176133 - 23 Aug 2023
Viewed by 877
Abstract
This article presents a brushless DC motor drive using a solar photovoltaic (PV) array and grid. Solar PV array-fed drive systems typically need a DC–DC converter stage in order to optimize the solar PV array-generated power utilizing a maximum power point (MPP) tracking [...] Read more.
This article presents a brushless DC motor drive using a solar photovoltaic (PV) array and grid. Solar PV array-fed drive systems typically need a DC–DC converter stage in order to optimize the solar PV array-generated power utilizing a maximum power point (MPP) tracking technique. In this work, a boost DC–DC converter is used for MPP tracking purposes. This work utilizes an incremental conductance (INC) MPP-tracking algorithm. A bridgeless asymmetrical converter without a bridge rectifier is used at the grid side to improve power quality at supply mains. The presented asymmetrical converter is an amalgamation of a second order (buck boost) with a fourth-order (Cuk) converter, which lowers the net system’s order. The input inductor of the Cuk converter manages the input current profile and, thus, eradicates the need for the filter at the grid mains. The bridgeless asymmetrical converter comes with several advantages, such as rectifier removal, component reduction, and input filter elimination. The performance of the brushless DC motor is examined in this article in all three scenarios: first, when grid and solar energy are both present; second, when solar energy is the only source of energy; and third, when grid energy is the only source of energy. The dual-source-based brushless DC motor drive system has been developed on matrix-laboratory/Simulink. The results are deployed and discussed to verify the drive-system performance. The article also presents a detailed stability analysis and mathematical modeling of the presented power-quality converter and MPP tracking converter to verify different converters’ stability using a bode diagram and a pole-zero plot. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances on Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells)
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21 pages, 2195 KiB  
Article
Precise Dynamic Modelling of Real-World Hybrid Solar-Hydrogen Energy Systems for Grid-Connected Buildings
by Ayatte I. Atteya, Dallia Ali and Nazmi Sellami
Energies 2023, 16(14), 5449; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16145449 - 18 Jul 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1335
Abstract
Hybrid renewable hydrogen energy systems could play a key role in delivering sustainable solutions for enabling the Net Zero ambition; however, the lack of exact computational modelling tools for sizing the integrated system components and simulating their real-world dynamic behaviour remains a key [...] Read more.
Hybrid renewable hydrogen energy systems could play a key role in delivering sustainable solutions for enabling the Net Zero ambition; however, the lack of exact computational modelling tools for sizing the integrated system components and simulating their real-world dynamic behaviour remains a key technical challenge against their widespread adoption. This paper addresses this challenge by developing a precise dynamic model that allows sizing the rated capacity of the hybrid system components and accurately simulating their real-world dynamic behaviour while considering effective energy management between the grid-integrated system components to ensure that the maximum possible proportion of energy demand is supplied from clean sources rather than the grid. The proposed hybrid system components involve a solar PV system, electrolyser, pressurised hydrogen storage tank and fuel cell. The developed hybrid system model incorporates a set of mathematical models for the individual system components. The developed precise dynamic model allows identifying the electrolyser’s real-world hydrogen production levels in response to the input intermittent solar energy production while also simulating the electrochemical behaviour of the fuel cell and precisely quantifying its real-world output power and hydrogen consumption in response to load demand variations. Using a university campus case study building in Scotland, the effectiveness of the developed model has been assessed by benchmarking comparison between its results versus those obtained from a generic model in which the electrochemical characteristics of the electrolyser and fuel cell systems were not taken into consideration. Results from this comparison have demonstrated the potential of the developed model in simulating the real-world dynamic operation of hybrid solar hydrogen energy systems for grid-connected buildings while sizing the exact capacity of system components, avoiding oversizing associated with underutilisation costs and inaccurate simulation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances on Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells)
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11 pages, 2385 KiB  
Article
Investigation of Post-Treatment Improving Perovskite Solar Cells Initial Performances and Study of Its Impact on the Durability
by Lara Perrin, Lionel Flandin, Cynthia Farha, Stéphanie Narbey, David Martineau and Emilie Planès
Energies 2023, 16(14), 5254; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16145254 - 08 Jul 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 974
Abstract
Among alternative perovskite device architectures, mesoporous scaffolds based on metal oxide and carbon look highly promising due to their inherent high stability. In this study, the perovskite deposition has been realized on a 1.5 cm2 active surface area using inkjet infiltration through [...] Read more.
Among alternative perovskite device architectures, mesoporous scaffolds based on metal oxide and carbon look highly promising due to their inherent high stability. In this study, the perovskite deposition has been realized on a 1.5 cm2 active surface area using inkjet infiltration through the mesoporous scaffold, affording a clean industrial process for large-scale and stable perovskite devices. A spectacular enhancement of photovoltaic performances from 10% to 14% was then obtained through the implementation of a maturation step. A study of the occurring mechanisms was conducted using a full set of characterization techniques including J-V measurements, UV–visible and PL spectroscopies, LBIC and PL imaging, XRD, and surface roughness measurements. In addition, the impact of this maturation step on the durability of the performances was investigated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances on Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells)
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Review

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29 pages, 5686 KiB  
Review
Recent Progress and Challenges in Controlling Secondary Phases in Kesterite CZT(S/Se) Thin Films: A Critical Review
by Mohamed Yassine Zaki and Alin Velea
Energies 2024, 17(7), 1600; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17071600 - 27 Mar 2024
Viewed by 174
Abstract
Kesterite-based copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS) and copper zinc tin selenide (CZTSe) thin films have attracted considerable attention as promising materials for sustainable and cost-effective thin-film solar cells. However, the successful integration of these materials into photovoltaic devices is hindered by the coexistence [...] Read more.
Kesterite-based copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS) and copper zinc tin selenide (CZTSe) thin films have attracted considerable attention as promising materials for sustainable and cost-effective thin-film solar cells. However, the successful integration of these materials into photovoltaic devices is hindered by the coexistence of secondary phases, which can significantly affect device performance and stability. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of recent progress and challenges in controlling secondary phases in kesterite CZTS and CZTSe thin films. Drawing from relevant studies, we discuss state-of-the-art strategies and techniques employed to mitigate the formation of secondary phases. These include a range of deposition methods, such as electrodeposition, sol-gel, spray pyrolysis, evaporation, pulsed laser deposition, and sputtering, each presenting distinct benefits in enhancing phase purity. This study highlights the importance of employing various characterization techniques, such as X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, for the precise identification of secondary phases in CZTS and CZTSe thin films. Furthermore, the review discusses innovative strategies and techniques aimed at mitigating the occurrence of secondary phases, including process optimization, compositional tuning, and post-deposition treatments. These approaches offer promising avenues for enhancing the purity and performance of kesterite-based thin-film solar cells. Challenges and open questions in this field are addressed, and potential future research directions are proposed. By comprehensively analyzing recent advancements, this review contributes to a deeper understanding of secondary phase-related issues in kesterite CZT(S/Se) thin films, paving the way for enhanced performance and commercial viability of thin-film solar cell technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances on Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells)
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29 pages, 2687 KiB  
Review
Issues, Challenges, and Future Perspectives of Perovskites for Energy Conversion Applications
by Boucar Diouf, Aarti Muley and Ramchandra Pode
Energies 2023, 16(18), 6498; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16186498 - 08 Sep 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3117
Abstract
Perovskite solar cells are an emerging technology that exploits the self-assembly and highly tunable bandgap properties of perovskite materials. Because of their low manufacturing cost, thin films of perovskites have attracted enormous interest and witnessed great progress. The power conversion efficiency of these [...] Read more.
Perovskite solar cells are an emerging technology that exploits the self-assembly and highly tunable bandgap properties of perovskite materials. Because of their low manufacturing cost, thin films of perovskites have attracted enormous interest and witnessed great progress. The power conversion efficiency of these devices has improved from 3.8% to 25.8%, which is a significant step forward. The formulation of innovative materials with the proper replacement of lead in perovskites is essential to reduce lead toxicity. Here, we examine the difficulties encountered in the commercialization of perovskite devices, such as material and structural stability, device stability under high temperature and humidity conditions, lifetime, and manufacturing cost. This review addresses issues such as device engineering, performance stability against the harsh environment, cost-effectiveness, recombination, optical, and resistance losses, large-area solar cell module issues, material cost analysis, module cost reduction strategy, and environmental concerns, which are important for the widespread acceptance of perovskite-based solar devices. The applications and market growth prospects of perovskite cells are also studied. In summary, we believe there is a great opportunity to research high-performance, long-lived perovskites and cells for energy applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances on Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells)
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39 pages, 8413 KiB  
Review
Solar Energy Harnessing Technologies towards De-Carbonization: A Systematic Review of Processes and Systems
by Pavlos Nikolaidis
Energies 2023, 16(17), 6153; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16176153 - 24 Aug 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1604
Abstract
Solar energy, derived from the inexhaustible energy of the sun, has emerged as a promising solution to mitigate the environmental challenges posed by fossil fuel consumption and global climate change. This work explores the underlying principles of solar energy exploitation, focusing on energy [...] Read more.
Solar energy, derived from the inexhaustible energy of the sun, has emerged as a promising solution to mitigate the environmental challenges posed by fossil fuel consumption and global climate change. This work explores the underlying principles of solar energy exploitation, focusing on energy collection technologies as the primary means of solar energy conversion. The physics of the state-of-the-art mechanisms, the photovoltaic effect, and the advancements that have driven the transformation of solar energy into a viable and sustainable alternative energy source are also examined. Through a comprehensive review of relevant literature and pioneering research, this study highlights the immense potential of solar energy and its role in shaping a cleaner, greener future. Towards de-carbonization, the various exploitation technologies are divided into direct and indirect in order to optimize resource utilization. Accounting for the most important advantages presented, solar-based utilization processes are perhaps the only ones that provide access to energy for all to satisfy their vital needs. As nations continue to embrace solar energy and invest in its development, we move closer to achieving a more sustainable and environmentally friendly world for generations to come. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances on Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells)
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