Editors: Dr Mukul Kumar Baruah, Dr Rahul Kanti Nath & Dr Joyobrato Nath (2025)

ISBN: 97978-93-94174-62-7

Photovoltaic Cell: The Sustainable Energy Solution

Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Karimganj College, Karimganj-788710, Assam, India

The global reliance on fossil fuels has led to growing concerns regarding environmental degradation, energy security, and long-term sustainability. As a result, photovoltaic (PV) cells have emerged as a promising alternative for clean and renewable energy generation. This article presents a comprehensive overview of photovoltaic technologies, classifying them into three generations based on their materials, efficiency, and design innovations. First-generation PV cells, primarily based on crystalline silicon, dominate the market due to their high efficiency and reliability. Second-generation cells, including thin-film technologies such as amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride (CdTe), and copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS), offer benefits like flexibility and lower production costs but generally exhibit lower efficiency. The third-generation PV technologies—comprising organic, dye-sensitized, and quantum dot solar cells—represent cutting-edge approaches aimed at achieving high efficiency with cost-effective and sustainable materials. These emerging systems offer potential advantages in tunability, lightweight design, and mechanical flexibility. Continued advancements in material science and nanotechnology are driving improvements in PV performance, pushing the boundaries of solar energy conversion. This review highlights the evolution, current trends, and future prospects of photovoltaic technologies in addressing the global energy crisis.

*Corresponding author; e-mail: trirupaus@gmail.com

Cite this Chapter: Trirup Dutta Choudhury and Biswajit Deb. 2025. Photovoltaic Cell: The Sustainable Energy Solution. In: Mukul Kumar Baruah, Rahul Kanti Nath and Joyobrato Nath (Eds.), Transdisciplinary Science: Mapping the Future of Research. Excellent Publishers, India. pp. 133-142. doi: https://doi.org/10.20546/978-93-94174-62-7_13