۱- Introduction

۲- Implementation of transparent solar cell technologies

۳- Transparent solar cell technologies

۴- Discussion

۵- Conclusion

References

Abstract

Energy is essential for economic development and growth. With the rapid growth of development and the drive to expand the economy, society demands more electricity. Coupled with the realisation that unsustainable energy production can have a detrimental effect on our environment. Solar energy is the most prolific method of energy capture in nature. The economic drive to make solar cells more cost effective and efficient has driven developments in many different deposition technologies, including dipping, plating, thick film deposition and thin film deposition. Typically, in order for solar energy to work efficiently and supply energy to a building, a very large amount of space is required, in the form of rooftops or land, in order to install solar panels; these solar panel space requirements are a large impediment to practical usage. This drawback drove researchers to come up with transparent solar cells (TSCs), which solves the problem by turning any sheet of glass into a photovoltaic solar cell. These cells provide power by absorbing and utilising unwanted light energy through windows in buildings and automobiles, which leads to an efficient use of architectural space. There are approximately nine transparent photovoltaic (TPV) technologies under development, and studies regarding these technologies aim to achieve high transparency along with electrical performance that is compatible with solar panels that are sold in the market. The main objective of this review paper is to state all the latest reported technologies from the year 2007 onwards on transparent photovoltaic technologies with at least 20% average transmission. This includes demonstrating the process used in each technology (including the materials and the methods) and explaining its advantages and disadvantages from a performance, aesthetic and financial perspective. Therefore, this study provides a crucial review on the latest developments in the field of TSCs.

Introduction

In recent years, the floodgates of research focusing on clean renewable energy have been opened by scientists who consider solar energy to be the most abundant source of energy that can satisfy society’s demands, which stem from continual economic development [1–۴]. Solar energy is at least utilised in 4 different ways in our daily lives, and this ranges from heating water to producing electricity. Photovoltaic (PV) technologies are at the top of the list of applications that use solar power, and forecast reports for the world’s solar photovoltaic electricity supplies state that in the next 12 years, PV technologies will deliver approximately 345 GW and 1081 GW by 2020 and 2030, respectively [5]. A photovoltaic cell is a device that converts sunlight into electricity using semiconductor materials. Semiconductor materials enable electron flow when photons from sunlight are absorbed and eject electrons, leaving a hole that is filled by surrounding electrons. This phenomenon of electron flow by photon absorption is called the photovoltaic effect. The PV’s cell directs the electrons in one direction, which forms a current [5,6]; the amount of current is proportional to the number of absorbed photons, which means that PV solar cells are a variable current source. There are approximately 24 models of solar cell technologies that are made from different types of materials and methods [7]. This review paper is primarily interested in transparent solar cells. However, in order to understand the concept of transparent solar cells, it is important to explain the evolution of solar cells starting from the silicon type. The following is a short background on solar cell technologies. The challenges that face photovoltaic cells are cost, efficiency, and operating lifetime [8]. Researchers are now focusing on finding materials that will overcome these challenges. Silicon was the first material that exhibited good efficiency [9].