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Emergence of highly transparent photovoltaics for distributed applications

Author

Listed:
  • Christopher J. Traverse

    (Michigan State University)

  • Richa Pandey

    (Ubiquitous Energy, Inc.)

  • Miles C. Barr

    (Ubiquitous Energy, Inc.)

  • Richard R. Lunt

    (Michigan State University
    Michigan State University)

Abstract

Solar energy offers a viable solution to our growing energy need. While adoption of conventional photovoltaics on rooftops and in solar farms has grown rapidly in the last decade, there is still plenty of opportunity for expansion. See-through solar technologies with partial light transmission developed over the past 30 years have initiated methods of integration not possible with conventional modules. The large-scale deployment necessary to offset global energy consumption could be further accelerated by developing fully invisible solar cells that selectively absorb ultraviolet and near-infrared light, allowing many of the surfaces of our built environment to be turned into solar harvesting arrays without impacting the function or aesthetics. Here, we review recent advances in photovoltaics with varying degrees of visible light transparency. We discuss the figures of merit necessary to characterize transparent photovoltaics, and outline the requirements to enable their widespread adoption in buildings, windows, electronic device displays, and automobiles.

Suggested Citation

  • Christopher J. Traverse & Richa Pandey & Miles C. Barr & Richard R. Lunt, 2017. "Emergence of highly transparent photovoltaics for distributed applications," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 2(11), pages 849-860, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natene:v:2:y:2017:i:11:d:10.1038_s41560-017-0016-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41560-017-0016-9
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    Cited by:

    1. Refat, Khalid H. & Sajjad, Redwan N., 2020. "Prospect of achieving net-zero energy building with semi-transparent photovoltaics: A device to system level perspective," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 279(C).
    2. Joaquim Romaní & Alba Ramos & Jaume Salom, 2022. "Review of Transparent and Semi-Transparent Building-Integrated Photovoltaics for Fenestration Application Modeling in Building Simulations," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-30, April.
    3. Skandalos, Nikolaos & Karamanis, Dimitris, 2021. "An optimization approach to photovoltaic building integration towards low energy buildings in different climate zones," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 295(C).
    4. Zimmerman, Ryan & Panda, Anurag & Bulović, Vladimir, 2020. "Techno-economic assessment and deployment strategies for vertically-mounted photovoltaic panels," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 276(C).
    5. Alessandro Cannavale & Francesco Martellotta & Francesco Fiorito & Ubaldo Ayr, 2020. "The Challenge for Building Integration of Highly Transparent Photovoltaics and Photoelectrochromic Devices," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-24, April.
    6. Zhu, Rui & Wong, Man Sing & You, Linlin & Santi, Paolo & Nichol, Janet & Ho, Hung Chak & Lu, Lin & Ratti, Carlo, 2020. "The effect of urban morphology on the solar capacity of three-dimensional cities," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 1111-1126.
    7. Woo, JongRoul & Moon, Sungho & Choi, Hyunhong, 2022. "Economic value and acceptability of advanced solar power systems for multi-unit residential buildings: The case of South Korea," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 324(C).
    8. Needell, David R. & Phelan, Megan E. & Hartlove, Jason T. & Atwater, Harry A., 2021. "Solar power windows: Connecting scientific advances to market signals," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 219(C).
    9. Woongchan Lee & Young Jin Yoo & Jinhong Park & Joo Hwan Ko & Yeong Jae Kim & Huiwon Yun & Dong Hoe Kim & Young Min Song & Dae-Hyeong Kim, 2022. "Perovskite microcells fabricated using swelling-induced crack propagation for colored solar windows," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    10. Mikhail Vasiliev & Mohammad Nur-E-Alam & Kamal Alameh, 2019. "Recent Developments in Solar Energy-Harvesting Technologies for Building Integration and Distributed Energy Generation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-23, March.
    11. Anctil, Annick & Lee, Eunsang & Lunt, Richard R., 2020. "Net energy and cost benefit of transparent organic solar cells in building-integrated applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(C).
    12. Shubbak, Mahmood H., 2019. "Advances in solar photovoltaics: Technology review and patent trends," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    13. Li, Zhenpeng & Ma, Tao, 2022. "Theoretic efficiency limit and design criteria of solar photovoltaics with high visual perceptibility," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 324(C).
    14. Parisi, M.L. & Maranghi, S. & Vesce, L. & Sinicropi, A. & Di Carlo, A. & Basosi, R., 2020. "Prospective life cycle assessment of third-generation photovoltaics at the pre-industrial scale: A long-term scenario approach," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    15. Li, Bo & Ding, Junqi & Wang, Jieqiong & Zhang, Biao & Zhang, Lingxian, 2021. "Key factors affecting the adoption willingness, behavior, and willingness-behavior consistency of farmers regarding photovoltaic agriculture in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    16. Mohammad Khairul Basher & Mohammad Nur-E Alam & Kamal Alameh, 2021. "Design, Development, and Characterization of Low Distortion Advanced Semitransparent Photovoltaic Glass for Buildings Applications," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-11, June.
    17. Nora Schopp & Viktor V. Brus, 2022. "A Review on the Materials Science and Device Physics of Semitransparent Organic Photovoltaics," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-15, June.
    18. Arias-Rosales, Andrés & LeDuc, Philip R., 2023. "Urban solar harvesting: The importance of diffuse shadows in complex environments," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    19. Gorjian, Shiva & Bousi, Erion & Özdemir, Özal Emre & Trommsdorff, Max & Kumar, Nallapaneni Manoj & Anand, Abhishek & Kant, Karunesh & Chopra, Shauhrat S., 2022. "Progress and challenges of crop production and electricity generation in agrivoltaic systems using semi-transparent photovoltaic technology," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).

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