Advances in Materials for Third-Generation Photovoltaic Technologies
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: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 78
Special Issue Editors
2. ALiCE—Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Interests: dye-sensitized solar cells; photoelectrochemistry; material engineering
2. ALiCE—Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Interests: dye-sensitized solar cells; electrochemistry; chemical kinetics; material chemistry; electrodeposition
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The development of Internet of Things (IoT) devices in the last decade has played a vital role in transitioning traditional cities to Smart Cities. Therefore, the IoT market is expected to increase from 245 billion USD to 8 131 billion USD by 2030. Most of these devices will be installed indoors, requiring a power input in the nW-mW range. For that reason, it is imperative to develop alternatives to conventional batteries, aiming to increase their lifetime or even replace them. Third-generation PV technologies, such as dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), perovskite solar cells (PSCs), organic solar cells (OSCs), and quantum dot solar cells (QDSC), are the most efficient and promising options nowadays. Power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 30 % under indoor light have often been reported for these indoor photovoltaics (iPVs). However, these PCEs may reach up to the theoretical PCE of 50-60 % via the optimization of the properties and composition of their materials, towards the perfect alignment of the energy levels and the prevention of recombination reactions. Moreover, the toxicity associated with using lead in PSCs, the scarcity of metals and rare elements, and the toxicity of solvents used to prepare the main components of these solar cells must also be addressed.
This Special Issue intends to disseminate the most recent advances in synthesizing and engineering materials for third-generation PV technologies. Besides the increasing interest in iPVs, this Special Issue includes third-generation PVs working under high light incident intensities and flexible PVs for portable applications.
The topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Materials for third-generation PV cells;
- Optimization of composition and structure of third-generation PV cells;
- Advanced characterization of solar cells;
- Simulation, modeling, design, and machine learning;
- Production of large area devices and modules;
- Stability and encapsulation;
- High-power outdoor and low-power indoor applications;
- Flexible devices and portable applications;
- Integrated systems;
- Market-targeting developments;
- Mitigating the environmental impact of PVs;
- Lifecycle assessment and cost analysis.
Dr. Fátima Santos
Dr. Dzmitry K. Ivanou
Guest Editors
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
- dye-sensitized solar cells
- perovskite solar cells
- organic solar cells
- quantum dot solar cells
- novel materials
- material synthesis
- material engineering
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.
