Proceedings of International Conference on Hybrid and Organic Photovoltaics (HOPV22)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.29363/nanoge.hopv.2022.145
Publication date: 20th April 2022
Non-intrusive solar panels could represent the next frontier in the integration of photovoltaic technology in transparent windows (i.e. in residential buildings, automotive applications, greenhouses). Among the different possible approaches, Dye-sensitized Solar Cells offer a unique sustainable choice for transparent and even colorless windows, thanks to their wide versatility in the choice of dyes, electrolytes and redox couples as well as their ability to use diffuse light and work in low-light conditions.
The photosensitizer plays a crucial role in a non-intrusive wavelength-selective NIR-DSSC system. [1] Until now, different families of NIR chromophores have been investigated with relatively low success in terms of transparency and power conversion efficiency. Recently, thanks to the joint efforts of different research groups within the IMPRESSIVE project (https://impressive-h2020.eu/), we proposed a fully transparent and colorless DSSC that can display 3.1% power conversion efficiency, up to 76% average visible transmittance (AVT), while reaching a color rendering index (CRI) of 92. [2]
Starting from this result, innovative strategies should be applied (both to the synthetic approach and to the cell optimization) to outperform the obtained values and design stable and low-cost compatible materials able to be implemented in a real device.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grand Agreement n° 826013.