Novel Photovoltaics: The Future of Solar Energy Next-Gen Solar Materials
Fabrics of the future will move well beyond clothing, while a just-discovered material promises cheaper and more efficient solarand energy. With this continuous research, new breakthroughs are happening to realize the true potential of solar energy when high-efficiency solar cells are developed with innovative materials and techniques.Next-Gen Solar Materials.
Perovskite Solar Cells: The New Kid On the Block Next-Gen Solar Materials
Perovskite solar cells are regarded as a promising technology (providing high efficiency and comparatively low-cost fabrication). Perovskite cells are made of perovskite materials, which have special properties that allow them to absorb sunlight and generate electricity easily.
Efficient:** Perovskite solar cells have reached world records in accuracy, outperforming traditional silicon-based solar cells.
Cost-effective**: The materials used to make perovskite solar cells are relatively cheap, and can be processed by low-temperature solution-processing methods.
Organic Solar Cells: Very Lightweight and Flexible
Q. Organic solar cells are made from carbon-based materials that allow for flexibility and light weight. These cells fit right into many surfaces including building facades, windows or even on other sorts of clothing.
Versatility:** Organic solar cells can be coated on flexible substrates and used in a variety of applications.
低溫加工：有機太陽能電池的製造過程可在較低溫度下進行，從而可降低耗能。
STACKING FOR EFFICIENCY: Tandem solar cells
Solar cells made by stacking layers of different materials on top of each other to absorb a broader range of sunlight are called tandem solar cells. Such strategy could dramatically improve the overall efficiency of solar cells.
By placing one or more layers of materials with different bandgaps in tandem, it is possible to capture a wider range of sunlight energy and use it to generate electricity—improving efficiency.
Decreased Thermalization Losses** -> Due to the reduced shading area and also, a kind of cells that uses parallel design as mentioned above can reduce thermalization losses which is heat loss.
Quantum Dot Solar Cells: Controllable Bandgaps
Quantum dot solar cells are based on nanosized semiconductors, called quantum dots. Scientists are able to adjust the size of these quantum dots so they will
Customizable Bandgap- Quantum dot solar cells in principle can be tuned to absorb certain wavelength of light which maximizes energy conversion.
Multi-Junction Cells — Quantum dots can be stacked into multi-junction cells to yield even higher efficiency.
With ongoing research, these upcoming solar materials can change the landscape of the solar energy sector and boost the journey toward a sustainable future.