Emerging Solar Energy Materials

This book provides the fundamental understanding of the functioning of solar cellsand the materials for the effective utilization of energy resources. The main objective of writing this book is to create a comprehensive and easy-to-understand source of information on the advances in the rapidly growing research on solar cells. Emerging Solar Energy Materials comprises 12 chapters written by the experts in the solar cell field and is organized with the intention to provide a big picture of the latest progress in the solar cell field and at the same time give an in-depth discussion on fundamentals of solar cells for interested audiences. In this book, each part opens with a new author's essay highlighting their work for contribution toward solar energy. Critical, cutting-edge subjects are addressed, including: Photovoltaic device technology and energy applications; Functional solar energy materials; New concept in solar energy; Perovskite solar cells; Dye-sensitized solar cells; Organic solar cells; Thin-film solar cells. The book is written for a large and broad readership including researchers and university graduate students from diverse backgrounds such as chemistry, physics, materials science, and photovoltaic device technology. The book includes enough information on the basics to be used as a textbook undergraduate coursework in engineering and the sciences.

This book provides the fundamental understanding of the functioning of solar cellsand the materials for the effective utilization of energy resources. The main objective of writing this book is to create a comprehensive and easy-to-understand source of information on the advances in the rapidly growing research on solar cells. Emerging Solar Energy Materials comprises 12 chapters written by the experts in the solar cell field and is organized with the intention to provide a big picture of the latest progress in the solar cell field and at the same time give an in-depth discussion on fundamentals of solar cells for interested audiences. In this book, each part opens with a new author's essay highlighting their work for contribution toward solar energy. Critical, cutting-edge subjects are addressed, including: Photovoltaic device technology and energy applications; Functional solar energy materials; New concept in solar energy; Perovskite solar cells; Dye-sensitized solar cells; Organic solar cells; Thin-film solar cells. The book is written for a large and broad readership including researchers and university graduate students from diverse backgrounds such as chemistry, physics, materials science, and photovoltaic device technology. The book includes enough information on the basics to be used as a textbook undergraduate coursework in engineering and the sciences.

The 'fuel crises' in 1972-73 generated world wide effort for the search for an Alternative Energy source to fossil fuels. Solar energy was identJfied as one of the alternatives to fossil fuels. On one hand the developed countries are trying to maintain their standard of living while the developing countries are trying to solve their industrial, social and economical problems to increase their standard of living. After this period a lot of Research and Development in the field of solar energy was carried out both in developing and developed countries and solar energy is utilized in domestic, agricultural and industrial sectors and also in the space. During the period of ,"Oil Crises" industrialized countries expended their activities in solar energy and substantial progress was made. In few developing countries seperate funding in the field of solar energy R&D was also provided through national and international, organizations. Time has now come when one should seriously look into the problems and screen, select, adapt, and manage emerging solar energy technology for its use in developing countries. Also the International Organizations will have to play a major role in this direction which may assist building up of a local solar energy R&D and manufacturing capabilities in developing countries which should be based on a long term but on necessary basis.

Photovoltaic (PV) cells, which directly convert sunlight into electricity, are renewable sources of energy that are sustainable and totally inexhaustible. Emerging classes of solar PV cells have drawn considerable attention because they provide significant advantages over traditional silicon solar cells, such as low cost and attractive designs (lightweight, flexible, and portable) while exhibiting promising performance. Despite these features, certain challenges restrict the possible commercialization of these technologies. The world's leading scientists are making numerous efforts focused on bringing these promising technologies closer to commercialization. Some of these scientists provided valuable research contributions to this Special Issue on “Advances in Emerging Solar Cells” published by Nanomaterials, MDPI. This Special Issue presents 12 excellent articles, 10 research and 2 review papers, covering perovskite solar cells, heterojunction solar cells, organic solar cells, dye-sensitized solar cells, and PV materials. We think that this Special Issue will attract significant attention from a broad research community including renewable energy, photovoltaic, emerging solar cells, material science and nanotechnology.

MATERIALS FOR SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION This book provides professionals and students with a resource on the basic principles and applications of solar energy materials and processes, as well as practicing engineers who want to understand how functional materials operate in solar energy conversion systems. The demand for energy is increasing daily, and the development of sustainable power generation is a critical issue. In order to overcome the energy demand, power generation through solar energy is booming. Many research works have attempted to enhance the efficiency of collection and storage of solar energy and, as a result, numerous advanced functional materials have been developed for enhancing the performance of solar cells. This book has compiled and broadly explores the latest developments of materials, methods, and applications of solar energy. The book is divided into 2 parts, in which the first part deals with solar cell fundamentals and emerging categories, and the latter part deals with materials, methods, and applications in order to fill the gap between existing technologies and practical requirements. The book presents detailed chapters including organic, inorganic, coating materials, and collectors. The use of modern computer simulation techniques, conversion and storage processes are effectively covered. Topics such as nanostructured solar cells, battery materials, etc. are included in this book as well. Audience The book is aimed at researchers in materials science, chemistry, physics, electrical and mechanical engineering working in the fields of nanotechnology, photovoltaic device technology, and solar energy.

Emerging Materials for Energy Conversion and Storage presents the state-of-art of emerging materials for energy conversion technologies (solar cells and fuel cells) and energy storage technologies (batteries, supercapacitors and hydrogen storage). The book is organized into five primary sections, each with three chapters authored by worldwide experts in the fields of materials science, physics, chemistry and engineering. It covers the fundamentals, functionalities, challenges and prospects of different classes of emerging materials, such as wide bandgap semiconductors, oxides, carbon-based nanostructures, advanced ceramics, chalcogenide nanostructures, and flexible organic electronics nanomaterials. The book is an important reference for students and researchers (from academics, but also industry) interested in understanding the properties of emerging materials. Explores the fundamentals, challenges and prospects for the application of emerging materials in the development of energy conversion and storage devices Presents a discussion of solar cell and photovoltaic, fuel cell, battery electrode, supercapacitor and hydrogen storage applications Includes notable examples of energy devices based on emerging materials to illustrate recent advances in this field

Photovoltaic (PV) cells, which directly convert sunlight into electricity, are renewable sources of energy that are sustainable and totally inexhaustible. Emerging classes of solar PV cells have drawn considerable attention because they provide significant advantages over traditional silicon solar cells, such as low cost and attractive designs (lightweight, flexible, and portable) while exhibiting promising performance. Despite these features, certain challenges restrict the possible commercialization of these technologies. The world's leading scientists are making numerous efforts focused on bringing these promising technologies closer to commercialization. Some of these scientists provided valuable research contributions to this Special Issue on “Advances in Emerging Solar Cells” published by Nanomaterials, MDPI. This Special Issue presents 12 excellent articles, 10 research and 2 review papers, covering perovskite solar cells, heterojunction solar cells, organic solar cells, dye-sensitized solar cells, and PV materials. We think that this Special Issue will attract significant attention from a broad research community including renewable energy, photovoltaic, emerging solar cells, material science and nanotechnology.