II. Extreme design complexity and computational challenges: Next generation solar cells employs disordered surface consisting of patterns of structural elements at nano-scales to enhance light absorption significantly over the broadband spectrum of sun lights. Experiments and simulations (Fig. 1) show that patterns with deterministic disorder outperform completely random and periodic structures...

Techniques and calculations are presented that give explicit expressions for the over-all performance of a luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) in terms of the intrinsic spectral response and quantum efficiency of its constituents. We examine the single dye (or inorganic ion) LSC with emphasis on the planar geometry. Preliminary data on the degradation of candidate LSC dyes under severe weather...

This paper assesses the challenges of alternative solar systems based on hybrid PVT collectors coupled with an absorption chiller (AbCH, single-stage NH3-H2O) in food-processing industry, from technical, economic and environmental points view. type industry is usually characterised by a constant cooling demand throughout year, hot water for production processes electricity consumption factory e...

A metallic dielectric photonic crystal with solar broadband, omni-directional, and tunable selective absorption with high temperature stable (1000 °C, 24 hrs) properties is fabricated on a 6" silicon wafer. The broadband absorption is due to a high density of optical cavity modes overlapped with an anti-reflection coating. Results allow for large-scale, low cost, and efficient solar-thermal ene...

The present study reports a novel concept of a direct solar thermal collector that harnesses the localized surface plasmon of metallic nanoparticles suspended in water. At the plasmon resonance frequency, the absorption and scattering from the nanoparticle can be greatly enhanced via the coupling of the incident radiation with the collective motion of electrons in metal. However, the surface pl...

In hot and dry regions such as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, cooling demand is often responsible for more than 70% of electricity consumption, which places a massive strain on grid leads to significant emissions. Solar thermal driven Silica-Gel/Water adsorption chillers, used space cooling, could provide low carbon emission reduce reliance electricity. However, meticulous design...

Standard solar cells heat up under sunlight. The resulting increased temperature of the solar cell has adverse consequences on both its efficiency and its reliability. We introduce a general approach to radiatively lower the operating temperature of a solar cell through sky access, while maintaining its solar absorption. We first present an ideal scheme for the radiative cooling of solar cells....

Optical micro/nano-spherical cavities can be designed to confine light by generating resonances in whispering gallery modes (WGM) and then couple them into the substrate through leaky modes, which can be potentially used in thin film solar cells for absorption enhancements. In this work, the transparent ZnO electrodes in a hollow nanosphere (HNS) structure were proposed as WGM resonators to tra...