Emergence of flexible kesterite solar cells: progress and perspectives

Abstract

Flexible photovoltaics have been and will be increasingly in demand in modern and future society in various applications. Searching for ideal flexible photovoltaic technologies that can perfectly meet these expanding demands has long been an active branch of photovoltaic research. Flexible kesterite Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) has emerged in recent years owning to its great potential to be an abundant, low-cost, stable, and high-efficiency “green” photovoltaic material that can be widely deployed with the lowest detrimental environmental impact. Here, we review the recent progress with flexible kesterite solar cells in thin-film and monograin technologies, discuss the key challenges and strategies associated with the flexible substrates, and finally provide future perspectives on further pushing the efficiency toward commercial-competitive levels.

Harnessing solar power with aesthetic innovation: An in‐depth study on spherical and hemispherical photovoltaic configurations

“…Flexible PV technology has experienced a notable surge in demand within contemporary society and this trend is anticipated to continue to escalate across diverse applications in the future 8,20 . Flexible and transparent thin‐film silicon solar cells have been meticulously engineered and refined, catering specifically to their integration within building structures, as well as for bifacial operational purposes 21 .…”