Ground-mounted large photovoltaic (PV) arrays are the least-cost design solution for installing PV, they account for the majority of the solar power installed today. With the increase of both the ...number and size of installations, the attention to their impacts in terms of land-use and land-transformation is growing, as well as concerns about landscape preservation and possible losses of ecosystem services. The community acceptance is often a barrier.
The current design is generally straight-forward and is aimed to the maximize energy generation given a certain land area.
This paper brings forward the idea that PV systems should be designed as an element of the landscape they belong to, according to an ׳inclusive׳ design approach that does not focus only on the overall energy efficiency of the system, but extends to other additional ecological and landscape objectives.
An original energy-design vision for on-ground PV is advanced, rooted in an original concept of ׳photovoltaic landscape׳. An understanding of PV landscapes in terms of patterns is given, and new patterns for PV are investigated. Based on literature new patterns for PV are assessed quantitatively in terms of land use energy intensity; and qualitatively in terms of perception-esthetics related aspects. Design domain freedom and boundary restrictions have been investigated with reference to possible negative and positive overall ecological performances; the weight of each design parameter has been qualitatively assessed, so that some first design guidelines could be formulated. Furthermore, a first quantitative approach for calculating the life cycle costs of the energy generated from PV landscapes, focusing on land use, has been proposed.
The study argues that new patterns would help in allowing a better ecological performance of the PV landscape, and opens many research questions, such as the quantitative assessment of the ecological beneficial impacts generated by new PV patterns.
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•Transparent photovoltaic is concretely approaching to the market.•Hybrid solar cells can now exceed exploitable visible light transmittance.•A real-case study on a simulated ...photovoltaic-powered office is proposed.•Companies ready to commercialize transparent building-integrated photovoltaic products are reviewed.
The world energy scenario is now living significant contributions coming from the photovoltaic field: new organic/inorganic hybrid materials have emerged in recent years, and in some cases these emerging strategies have exceeded the performance of traditional crystalline silicon. The next step concerns the integration of these technologies in smart buildings, in order to maximize the active surface capable of producing electricity and to contain the costs of air conditioning without affecting the amount of light needed. This review focuses on some of the most recent strategies developed to this purpose. Following an initial background on solar cells and figures of merit to characterize a transparent photovoltaic panel, the manuscript deals with a thorough analysis of wavelength-selective and non-wavelength selective devices, mentioning the main outcomes in the recent years. This distinction is proposed for both solar cells and solar concentrators, two areas in rapid evolution in academia and company worlds. A newly proposed case study and the example of a pre-industrial reality that has just started to scale-up this technology conclude this review, leaving to the reader a rich background on this highly-in-vogue field.
Semitransparent organic photovoltaic cells (ST-OPVs) are emerging as a solution for solar energy harvesting on building facades, rooftops, and windows. However, the trade-off between powerconversion ...efficiency (PCE) and the average photopic transmission (APT) in color-neutral devices limits their utility as attractive, power-generating windows. A color-neutral ST-OPV is demonstrated by using a transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) anode along with a narrow energy gap nonfullerene acceptor near-infrared (NIR) absorbing cell and outcoupling (OC) coatings on the exit surface. The device exhibits PCE = 8.1 ± 0.3% and APT = 43.3 ± 1.2% that combine to achieve a light-utilization efficiency of LUE = 3.5 ± 0.1%. Commission Internationale d’eclairage chromaticity coordinates of (0.38, 0.39), a color-rendering index of 86, and a correlated color temperature of 4,143 K are obtained for simulated AM1.5 illumination transmitted through the cell. Using an ultrathin metal anode in place of ITO, we demonstrate a slightly green-tinted STOPV with PCE = 10.8 ± 0.5% and APT = 45.7 ± 2.1% yielding LUE = 5.0 ± 0.3% These results indicate that ST-OPVs can combine both efficiency and color neutrality in a single device.
This article discusses the functionalities and developments of different types of solar panels. It explains the latest technological advances in this field, especially in the context of different ...types of solar panels, namely, photovoltaic (also known as PV), thermal collectors, photovoltaic-thermal (known as PV/T) panels and concentrating solar panels. Specifically, the paper examines how each of the technologies analysed operates to produce heat and electrical power, how to improve the energy efficiency and which technology provides the best system efficiencies and fastest return on investment. Finally, it also assesses the extent to which the exploitation of renewable energy sources and incentives to achieve energy efficiency is supported by the European regulatory framework and policies.
•Recent advances of photovoltaics, thermal and photovoltaic-thermal panels were studied.•Advantages and disadvantages offered by each solar technology were investigated.•Highlighted strategies guided by national policy makers for production of clean energy.•Considered directions given by the EU to transit to zero-carbon energy production.
Organic solar cells are ideal for semi-transparent applications given their “peaky” absorption, which allows them to selectively absorb photons outside the visible range while transmitting visible ...light. Such devices embody a fundamental tradeoff between transparency and power generation that must be optimized to fit the requirements of each potential application—for example, powering electrically dimmable smart windows. To inform the design of organic ultraviolet-absorbers and solar cells that target such applications, we computer-generate sets of optical constants with a range of absorption coefficients and absorption cutoff wavelengths that mimic those of real organic semiconductors. We then perform optical transfer-matrix simulations to determine the absorption and transmission spectra of full-stack photovoltaic cells, inserting these computer-generated optical constants to describe the photoactive absorbing layers. We find that solar cells having absorbers with a cutoff wavelength of 420 nm produce the most power without degrading transparency or color neutrality, and that absorption coefficients up to 5 × 105 cm−1 are needed to fully absorb the targeted wavelengths within practical photoactive layer thicknesses <300 nm in the absence of a reflecting electrode.
•Optical simulations are used to project the performance of UV-absorbing OPVs.•Absorption onsets of 420 nm produce the best balance of power output and transparency.•Absorption coefficients >2 × 105 cm−1 ensure full absorption in a typical device.•These results form a basis for the design of UV-absorbing materials and devices.
The European Green Deal was published at the end of 2019 and represents EU's biggest action to reach climate neutrality. The European Recovery Fund was presented in July 2020 as a response to the ...COVID-19 crisis. This study looks at the role that photovoltaics could play to support the successful implementation of these initiatives, in particular in regard to the increased climate ambition. The European Commission proposal of September 2020 (55% emission reduction in 2030 compared to 1990) and the European Parliament proposal that followed soon after (−60%), have changed the level of greenhouse gas reduction ambitions. Energy system modelling shows that achieving the updated targets will require large quantities of renewables deployed at an unprecedented pace. Over the past 10 years solar PV has achieved the technological and market maturity to spearhead EU efforts to reach the energy and climate targets. The paper looks at future projections of solar PV deployment, also considering ongoing sectorial policies (e.g. the EU hydrogen strategy, the building renovation wave) and overarching aims for system integration and a just transition.
•The European Green Deal increased climate ambition and the need for renewables.•Photovoltaics need to be deployed in high rates to reach the updated targets.•Until 2030, 21–22 GW of PV is needed annually in EU to decrease emissions by 55%.•PV deployment rates increase to 26–32 GW annually to reach −60% emissions.•Green Deal's initiatives (H2 strategy, renovation wave) may increase projections.
P-type polymers are polymeric semiconducting materials that conduct holes and have extensive applications in optoelectronics such as organic photovoltaics. Taking the advantage of intrinsic ...discontinuous light absorption of organic semiconductors, semitransparent organic photovoltaics (STOPVs) present compelling opportunities in various potential applications such as building-integrated photovoltaics, agrivoltaics, automobiles and wearable electronics. The characteristics of p-type polymers, including optical, electronic and morphological properties, determine the performance of STOPVs, and the requirements for p-type polymers differ between opaque organic photovoltaics and STOPVs. Hence, in this Minireview, recent advances of p-type polymers used in STOPVs are systematically summarized, with emphasis on the effects of chemical structures, conformation structures and aggregation structures of p-type polymers on the performance of STOPVs. Furthermore, new design concepts and guidelines are also proposed for p-type polymers to facilitate the future development of high-performance STOPVs.
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