Chemistry - A European Journal
Chemistry - A European Journal
5 years ago

All-Weather Solar Cells: A Rising Photovoltaic Revolution

All-Weather Solar Cells: A Rising Photovoltaic Revolution
Qunwei Tang
Solar cells have been considered as one of the foremost solutions to energy and environmental problems because of clean, high efficiency, cost-effective, and inexhaustible features. The historical development and state-of-the-art solar cells mainly focus on elevating photoelectric conversion efficiency upon direct sunlight illumination. It is still a challenging problem to realize persistent high-efficiency power generation in rainy, foggy, haze, and dark-light conditions (night). The physical proof-of-concept for all-weather solar cells opens a door for an upcoming photovoltaic revolution. Our group has been exploring constructive routes to build all-weather solar cells so that these advanced photovoltaic technologies can be an indication for global solar industry in bringing down the cost of energy harvesting. How the all-weather solar cells are built without reducing photo performances and why such architectures can realize electricity outputs with no visible-light are discussed. Potential pathways and opportunities to enrich all-weather solar cell families are envisaged. The aspects discussed here may enable researchers to develop undiscovered abilities and to explore wide applications of advanced photovoltaics. Come rain or shine! All-weather solar cells would trigger a photovoltaic revolutionary. In this article, we have outlined the design principles, working mechanisms, photovoltaic structures, proof-of-concepts experimental performances as well as potential pathways to all-weather solar cells.

Publisher URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/resolve/doi

DOI: 10.1002/chem.201700098

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