Owing to the strong interest in sustainable and renewable energy in the past
recent years, the solar cell industry has grown vastly. Conventional solar cells are
simply not efficient enough and are expensive to manufacture for large-scale electricity
generation. There are potential and sustainable advancements in nanotechnology that
have opened the door to the production of efficient nanostructured optoelectronics.
Nanotechnology has depicted tremendous breakthroughs in the field of solar
technology. Nanomaterials and quantum dots (QDs) have proved to be potential
candidates in the field of solar cells. Nanotechnology is able to enhance the efficiency
of solar cells, meanwhile helping in the reduction of manufacturing costs. Photovoltaics
(PVs) based on inorganic, organic, and polymer materials are designed and synthesized
with the aim of reducing cost per watt, even if it declines reliability and conversion
efficiency. Such PVs absorb sunlight more efficiently with wider absorption spectra
which also show better conversion of power to efficiency. Herein, we have highlighted
nanoparticles based on inorganic, organic, or graphene-based functional materials,
which exhibit enhanced physicochemical properties along with excellent surface-to
area ratio to be used as nanostructured thin layers coated with solar cell panels.
Utilizing nanotechnology in developing low-cost and efficient solar cells would help to
preserve the environment.
Keywords: III Generation Solar Cells, Nanomaterials, Nanotechnology, Optoelectronics, Photovoltaics, Renewable Energy, Sustainable Environment.
