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Advances in Solar Cells and Photocatalysis II
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Advances in Solar Cells and Photocatalysis II

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "A2: Solar Energy and Photovoltaic Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 December 2023) | Viewed by 20361

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Sanjay Gopal Ullattil

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Physics of Materials of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Žižkova 513/22, 61600 Brno, Czech Republic
Interests: solar cells; solar photocatalysis; materials science; advanced materials; dye-sensitized solar cells

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are calling for submissions of research and review papers to a Special Issue of Energies entitled “Advances in Solar Cells and Photocatalysis Ⅱ”. This is a collection of both innovative and classical experimental methods in the area of solar cells and solar photocatalysis. The purpose of this Special Issue is to publish original research papers and reviews on any type of solar cell and different types of photocatalytic applications. As a whole, this issue aims to address the recent developments of such solar- or light-powered systems.

Owing to the decreasing availability of non-renewable fossil fuels, there is a necessity to exploit renewable energy sources such as sunlight, wind, biomass, rain, tides, and waves. Among these, sunlight is the most important and promising because it is abundantly available at no cost and holds the position of “the universal energy source”. The importance of solar energy was asserted in 1911 by the Russian–German chemist Wilhem Ostwald, who stated that “mankind should cover a maximum part of its energy demand from solar energy.” In this direction, two areas, viz. photocatalysis and solar cells, are economically credible alternatives to wastewater mineralization and conventional energy systems, respectively. Thus, photocatalysis, from an environmental perspective, and solar cells, from an energy perspective, are very crucial for the future since they have the potential to eliminate most of the energy and environmental problems and thereby facilitate an environmentally benign tomorrow.

In this Special Issue, we intend to bring together a broad range of articles based on solar energy. Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Perovskite solar cells
  • Dye-sensitized solar cells
  • Polymer solar cells
  • Quantum dot solar cells
  • Organic solar cells
  • Hydrogen generation
  • CO2 reduction
  • Oxygen evolution
  • Water splitting
  • Photocatalytic fuel cells
  • Photodegradation of pollutants
  • Photodegradation of antibiotics
  • Selective photocatalysis

Dr. Sanjay Gopal Ullattil
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • solar energy
  • solar cells
  • photocatalysis
  • photoelectrocatalysis
  • photocatalytic self-cleaning
  • perovskite solar cells
  • dye-sensitized solar cells
  • polymer solar cells
  • organic solar cells
  • environmental remediation

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 5145 KiB  
Article
Optimized Control of a Hybrid Water Pumping System Integrated with Solar Photovoltaic and Battery Storage: Towards Sustainable and Green Water-Power Supply
by Hale Bakır, Adel Merabet and Mohammadali Kiehbadroudinezhad
Energies 2023, 16(13), 5209; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16135209 - 6 Jul 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2534
Abstract
This article presents the modeling and optimization control of a hybrid water pumping system utilizing a brushless DC motor. The system incorporates battery storage and a solar photovoltaic array to achieve efficient water pumping. The solar array serves as the primary power source, [...] Read more.
This article presents the modeling and optimization control of a hybrid water pumping system utilizing a brushless DC motor. The system incorporates battery storage and a solar photovoltaic array to achieve efficient water pumping. The solar array serves as the primary power source, supplying energy to the water pump for full-volume water surrender. During unfavorable weather conditions or when the photovoltaic array is unable to meet the power demands of the water pump, the battery discharges only at night or during inadequate solar conditions. Additionally, the photovoltaic array can charge the battery on its own when water distribution is not necessary, negating the need for external power sources. A bi-directional charge control mechanism is employed to facilitate automatic switching between the operating modes of the battery, utilizing a buck-boost DC–DC converter. The study incorporates a control system with loops for battery control and DC voltage control within the bidirectional converter. The water cycle algorithm adjusts four control parameters by minimizing an objective function based on tracking errors. The water cycle optimization is compared to other methods based on overshoot and settling time values to evaluate its performance, showcasing its effectiveness in analyzing the results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Solar Cells and Photocatalysis II)
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11 pages, 7922 KiB  
Article
Transformers-Based Encoder Model for Forecasting Hourly Power Output of Transparent Photovoltaic Module Systems
by Jumaboev Sherozbek, Jaewoo Park, Mohammad Shaheer Akhtar and O-Bong Yang
Energies 2023, 16(3), 1353; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16031353 - 27 Jan 2023
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2951
Abstract
Solar power generation is usually affected by different meteorological factors, such as solar radiation, cloud cover, rainfall, and temperature. This variability has shown a negative impact on the large-scale integration of solar energy into energy supply systems. For successful integration of solar energy [...] Read more.
Solar power generation is usually affected by different meteorological factors, such as solar radiation, cloud cover, rainfall, and temperature. This variability has shown a negative impact on the large-scale integration of solar energy into energy supply systems. For successful integration of solar energy into the electrical grid, it is necessary to predict the accurate power generation by solar panels. In this work, solar power generation forecasting for two types of solar system (non-transparent and transparent panels) was configured by the smart artificial intelligence (AI) modelling. For deep learning models, the dataset obtained from the target value of electricity generation in kWh and other features, such as weather conditions, solar radiance, and insolation. In PV power generation values from non-transparent and transparent solar panels were collected from 1 January to 31 December 2021 with an hourly interval. To prove the efficiency of the proposed model, several deep learning approaches RNN models, such as LSTM, GRU, and transformers models, were implemented. Transformers model for forecasting power generation expressed the best model for non-transparent and transparent solar panels with lower error rates for MAE 0.05 and 0.04, and RMSE 0.24 and 0.21, respectively. The proposed model showed efficient performance and proved effective in forecasting time-series data. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Solar Cells and Photocatalysis II)
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Review

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22 pages, 5039 KiB  
Review
Recent Progress in the Use of Perovskites for Electrochemical, Photoelectrochemical, and Photovoltaic–Electrochemical CO2 Reduction
by Mina Ahmadi-Kashani, Mahmoud Zendehdel, Luigi Schirone, Mohammad Mahdi Abolhasani and Narges Yaghoobi Nia
Energies 2023, 16(22), 7632; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16227632 - 17 Nov 2023
Viewed by 2124
Abstract
Developing novel functional materials to advance the technological level of clean and renewable energy systems is the focus of much research. Due to their outstanding operational and compositional properties, perovskite-based structures have already been studied as an important class of solid-state components for [...] Read more.
Developing novel functional materials to advance the technological level of clean and renewable energy systems is the focus of much research. Due to their outstanding operational and compositional properties, perovskite-based structures have already been studied as an important class of solid-state components for electrochemical (EC), photoelectrochemical (PEC), and photovoltaic–electrochemical (PV-EC) CO2 reduction, showing great potential in their catalytic activity and device stability and with a promising window for further technological developments. In this review, the different kinds of perovskites in the context of their structural features, which lead to their different applications, are first investigated. Then, we summarize the recent progress in the use of perovskites in EC, PEC, and PV-EC CO2-reduction devices. The research demonstrates that the mechanism and kinetics of intermediate formation have a significant effect on the creation of the final product. Investigations show that appropriate surface modifications, such as through the use of doping agents, alloy construction, and composites, can considerably improve the electrocatalytic activity and stability of perovskites. Finally, the perspectives on, and limitations of, the commercial and large-scale production of perovskites for CO2 reduction are stated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Solar Cells and Photocatalysis II)
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30 pages, 8514 KiB  
Review
Investigation of Degradation of Solar Photovoltaics: A Review of Aging Factors, Impacts, and Future Directions toward Sustainable Energy Management
by Tuhibur Rahman, Ahmed Al Mansur, Molla Shahadat Hossain Lipu, Md. Siddikur Rahman, Ratil H. Ashique, Mohamad Abou Houran, Rajvikram Madurai Elavarasan and Eklas Hossain
Energies 2023, 16(9), 3706; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16093706 - 26 Apr 2023
Cited by 46 | Viewed by 11973
Abstract
The degradation of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules is caused by a number of factors that have an impact on their effectiveness, performance, and lifetime. One of the reasons contributing to the decline in solar PV performance is the aging issue. This study comprehensively [...] Read more.
The degradation of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules is caused by a number of factors that have an impact on their effectiveness, performance, and lifetime. One of the reasons contributing to the decline in solar PV performance is the aging issue. This study comprehensively examines the effects and difficulties associated with aging and degradation in solar PV applications. In light of this, this article examines and analyzes many aging factors, including temperature, humidity, dust, discoloration, cracks, and delamination. Additionally, the effects of aging factors on solar PV performance, including the lifetime, efficiency, material degradation, overheating, and mismatching, are critically investigated. Furthermore, the main drawbacks, issues, and challenges associated with solar PV aging are addressed to identify any unfulfilled research needs. Finally, this paper provides new directions for future research, best practices, and recommendations to overcome aging issues and achieve the sustainable management and operation of solar energy systems. For PV engineers, manufacturers, and industrialists, this review’s critical analysis, evaluation, and future research directions will be useful in paving the way for conducting additional research and development on aging issues to increase the lifespan and efficiency of solar PV. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Solar Cells and Photocatalysis II)
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