The second-generation of CdTe and CuInGaSe2 thin film PV modules

2.11 - Accurate characterization of indoor photovoltaic performance

Ambient energy harvesting has great potential to contribute to sustainable development and address growing environmental challenges. Converting waste energy from energy-intensive processes and systems (e.g. combustion engines and furnaces) is crucial to reducing their environmental impact and achieving net-zero emissions. Compact energy harvesters will also be key to powering the exponentially growing smart devices ecosystem that is part of the Internet of Things, thus enabling futuristic applications that can improve our quality of life (e.g. smart homes, smart cities, smart manufacturing, and smart healthcare). To achieve these goals, innovative materials are needed to efficiently convert ambient energy into electricity through various physical mechanisms, such as the photovoltaic effect, thermoelectricity, piezoelectricity, triboelectricity, and radiofrequency wireless power transfer. By bringing together the perspectives of experts in various types of energy harvesting materials, this Roadmap provides extensive insights into recent advances and present challenges in the field. Additionally, the Roadmap analyses the key performance metrics of these technologies in relation to their ultimate energy conversion limits. Building on these insights, the Roadmap outlines promising directions for future research to fully harness the potential of energy harvesting materials for green energy anytime, anywhere.

Making silicon solar cells in a green, low-hazardous, and inexpensive way

A facile, green, HF-free process for fabricating silicon solar cells safely at home or in school is presented.

TiO2 nanotubes sensitized with CdSe via RF magnetron sputtering for photoelectrochemical applications under visible light irradiation

Highly ordered TiO₂ NT arrays were easily decorated with CdSe via RF magnetron sputtering.

Pyrite Nanocrystal Solar Cells: Promising, or Fool's Gold?

Pyrite-phase iron sulfide (FeS2) nanocrystals were synthesized to form solvent-based dispersions, or "solar paint," to fabricate photovoltaic devices (PVs). Nanocrystals were sprayed onto substrates as absorber layers in devices with several different architectures, including Schottky barrier, heterojunction, and organic/inorganic hybrid architectures, to explore their viability as a PV material. None of the devices exhibited PV response. XRD and Raman spectroscopy confirmed the pyrite composition and phase purity of the nanocrystals. The electrical conductivity of the nanocrystal films was about 4 to 5 S/cm, more typical of metal nanocrystal films than semiconductor nanocrystal films, and the lack of PV response appears to derive from the highly conductive surface-related defects in pyrite that have been proposed.