Nanocoatings for Energy Generation and Conservation of Solar Cells

Abstract

Solar panels operating under outdoor environments during their useful life are exposed to various factors such as dust, humidity, snow, rain, thermal changes, abrasion, etc., which degrade their operation, decreasing the efficiency of converting light into voltage. Although various cleaning and/or conservation methods have been proposed and used for years to solve this problem, they offer results with low efficiency and high costs. The most effective functional method so far is the application of nanocoatings on the solar panel cover, which avoids these effects more comprehensively. This chapter presents the study of the advances that have been achieved so far through nanocomposites based on polymers and ceramic materials and proposes future trends that must be carried out to achieve their optimized design. The advances, although significant, allow us to predict the need to continue carrying out scientific and technological research to achieve results of high-added value using nanomaterials.