A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Promises and challenges of indoor photovoltaics
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5552-1749
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6591-5928
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2287-4545
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5605-6482
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0273-8848
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2141-3587
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7675-0065
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2872-6922
Indoor photovoltaics (IPVs) harvest ambient light to produce electricity and can cleanly power the rapidly growing number of Internet-of-Things (IoT) sensors. The surge in IPV development, with new proposed materials, devices and products, creates the need to critically evaluate how IPV devices have advanced and to assess their prospects. In this Review, we analyse the status, challenges and opportunities of established and emerging IPV technologies, including metal-halide perovskite, organic photovoltaics, dye-sensitized solar cell and perovskite-inspired materials. Many emerging low-toxicity semiconductor materials could reach IPV efficiencies of up to 50%, but carrier localization and defect trapping hinder their performance. Wide adoption of standardized performance assessment methods is essential, and further harmonization is needed for stress tests, qualification standards and energy rating assessments. For seamless IPV integration in IoT devices, series-connected cell modules and appropriate power management hardware are crucial to maximize energy extraction. IPV device stability, technology upscaling and cost-effective integration in IoT sensors must be further developed but balanced with sustainability across the entire value chain.
Indoor photovoltaics can meet the power demands of the rapidly increasing number of Internet-of-Things devices and reduce the reliance on batteries. This Review describes materials best suited for indoor photovoltaics, and analyses potential routes to scalability and sustainability.
By harvesting energy widely and freely available from ambient lighting, emerging indoor photovoltaics (IPVs) could become a sustainable and practical energy supply for low-power Internet-of-Things (IoT) nodes.
Standardizing indoor light sources and measurement methods for testing IPV devices is essential for comparability across different research groups. At the same time, given the wide variation in indoor light sources, IPVs should be tested under diverse conditions to avoid discarding potential technologies and to accurately gauge their power output for IoT applications.
Emerging IPV technologies can be manufactured with low capital intensity due to their rapid and simple processes, and they can be quickly customized. However, it is crucial for manufacturers, engineers and financial planners to consider the technical and financial aspects of shipping and integrating them into third-party electronic products.
Establishing collaborations between photovoltaics experts and IoT engineers will be key to ensure that IPVs are tailor-made to address the needs of IoT.
Life cycle assessment on IPVs, particularly emerging materials, will be essential to account for the environmental impact at various stages and to develop eco-design strategies to improve the overall sustainability of IPV devices.
Promises and challenges of indoor photovoltaics
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5552-1749
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6591-5928
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2287-4545
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5605-6482
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0273-8848
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2141-3587
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7675-0065
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2872-6922
Indoor photovoltaics (IPVs) harvest ambient light to produce electricity and can cleanly power the rapidly growing number of Internet-of-Things (IoT) sensors. The surge in IPV development, with new proposed materials, devices and products, creates the need to critically evaluate how IPV devices have advanced and to assess their prospects. In this Review, we analyse the status, challenges and opportunities of established and emerging IPV technologies, including metal-halide perovskite, organic photovoltaics, dye-sensitized solar cell and perovskite-inspired materials. Many emerging low-toxicity semiconductor materials could reach IPV efficiencies of up to 50%, but carrier localization and defect trapping hinder their performance. Wide adoption of standardized performance assessment methods is essential, and further harmonization is needed for stress tests, qualification standards and energy rating assessments. For seamless IPV integration in IoT devices, series-connected cell modules and appropriate power management hardware are crucial to maximize energy extraction. IPV device stability, technology upscaling and cost-effective integration in IoT sensors must be further developed but balanced with sustainability across the entire value chain.
Indoor photovoltaics can meet the power demands of the rapidly increasing number of Internet-of-Things devices and reduce the reliance on batteries. This Review describes materials best suited for indoor photovoltaics, and analyses potential routes to scalability and sustainability.
By harvesting energy widely and freely available from ambient lighting, emerging indoor photovoltaics (IPVs) could become a sustainable and practical energy supply for low-power Internet-of-Things (IoT) nodes.
Standardizing indoor light sources and measurement methods for testing IPV devices is essential for comparability across different research groups. At the same time, given the wide variation in indoor light sources, IPVs should be tested under diverse conditions to avoid discarding potential technologies and to accurately gauge their power output for IoT applications.
Emerging IPV technologies can be manufactured with low capital intensity due to their rapid and simple processes, and they can be quickly customized. However, it is crucial for manufacturers, engineers and financial planners to consider the technical and financial aspects of shipping and integrating them into third-party electronic products.
Establishing collaborations between photovoltaics experts and IoT engineers will be key to ensure that IPVs are tailor-made to address the needs of IoT.
Life cycle assessment on IPVs, particularly emerging materials, will be essential to account for the environmental impact at various stages and to develop eco-design strategies to improve the overall sustainability of IPV devices.
Promises and challenges of indoor photovoltaics
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5552-1749
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6591-5928
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2287-4545
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5605-6482
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0273-8848
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2141-3587
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7675-0065
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2872-6922
Indoor photovoltaics (IPVs) harvest ambient light to produce electricity and can cleanly power the rapidly growing number of Internet-of-Things (IoT) sensors. The surge in IPV development, with new proposed materials, devices and products, creates the need to critically evaluate how IPV devices have advanced and to assess their prospects. In this Review, we analyse the status, challenges and opportunities of established and emerging IPV technologies, including metal-halide perovskite, organic photovoltaics, dye-sensitized solar cell and perovskite-inspired materials. Many emerging low-toxicity semiconductor materials could reach IPV efficiencies of up to 50%, but carrier localization and defect trapping hinder their performance. Wide adoption of standardized performance assessment methods is essential, and further harmonization is needed for stress tests, qualification standards and energy rating assessments. For seamless IPV integration in IoT devices, series-connected cell modules and appropriate power management hardware are crucial to maximize energy extraction. IPV device stability, technology upscaling and cost-effective integration in IoT sensors must be further developed but balanced with sustainability across the entire value chain.
Indoor photovoltaics can meet the power demands of the rapidly increasing number of Internet-of-Things devices and reduce the reliance on batteries. This Review describes materials best suited for indoor photovoltaics, and analyses potential routes to scalability and sustainability.
By harvesting energy widely and freely available from ambient lighting, emerging indoor photovoltaics (IPVs) could become a sustainable and practical energy supply for low-power Internet-of-Things (IoT) nodes.
Standardizing indoor light sources and measurement methods for testing IPV devices is essential for comparability across different research groups. At the same time, given the wide variation in indoor light sources, IPVs should be tested under diverse conditions to avoid discarding potential technologies and to accurately gauge their power output for IoT applications.
Emerging IPV technologies can be manufactured with low capital intensity due to their rapid and simple processes, and they can be quickly customized. However, it is crucial for manufacturers, engineers and financial planners to consider the technical and financial aspects of shipping and integrating them into third-party electronic products.
Establishing collaborations between photovoltaics experts and IoT engineers will be key to ensure that IPVs are tailor-made to address the needs of IoT.
Life cycle assessment on IPVs, particularly emerging materials, will be essential to account for the environmental impact at various stages and to develop eco-design strategies to improve the overall sustainability of IPV devices.
Promises and challenges of indoor photovoltaics
Nat. Rev. Clean Technol.
Grandhi, G. Krishnamurthy (author) / Koutsourakis, George (author) / Blakesley, James C. (author) / De Rossi, Francesca (author) / Brunetti, Francesca (author) / Öz, Senol (author) / Sinicropi, Adalgisa (author) / Parisi, Maria Laura (author) / Brown, Thomas M. (author) / Carnie, Matthew J. (author)
Nature Reviews Clean Technology ; 1 ; 132-147
2025-02-01
16 pages
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
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