Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-03-13DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113414
Haoyi Yao , Yunfeng Wang , Xun Ma , Ming Li , Fangling Fan
{"title":"An investigation on daylight in PV greenhouse for mushroom vertical cultivation in Kunming, China","authors":"Haoyi Yao , Yunfeng Wang , Xun Ma , Ming Li , Fangling Fan","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113414","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113414","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recently, there has been an increasing emphasis on generating energy from renewable sources, resulting in the installation of photovoltaic (PV) modules on the roofs of agricultural greenhouses. The optimal combination involves integrating a photovoltaic greenhouse with vertical growing of edible mushrooms. This synergistic approach allows for increased planting capacity and enhanced exploitation of solar radiation. However, there is very little progress in the evaluation of spatial light for such photovoltaic planting systems. This study examined the amount of daylight accessible in a photovoltaic greenhouse for mushroom vertical cultivation in Kunming, China. The spatial intensity of daylight was simulated with RADIANCE, a software application that simulates solar and light rays by ray-tracing. The findings indicated that the average disparity in sunlight intensity between each layer of the shelf of edible mushroom, when arranged in an east–west or north–south orientation, was below 9% at noon. However, the latter configuration resulted in a more even distribution of daylight in the greenhouse. The shading percentage remains relatively consistent during the four significant days of spring equinox, summer solstice, autumn equinox, and winter solstice. On the summer solstice, the shadow range is primarily concentrated in the greenhouse due to the elevated position of the sun. This leads to a lack of consistent lighting across different heights within the greenhouse. As the solar altitude angle decreases, the intensity of light decreases but the light inhomogeneity increases. These findings have the potential to be used as design techniques for supporting vertical planting in PV greenhouse planning.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"291 ","pages":"Article 113414"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143610131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-03-13DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113405
Ashraf A. Ali , Muawia Mohamed Ahmed Mahmoud , Saud Hamdan Alshammari , Mehmet Sarikahya , Abdulaziz Mohammed Alshareef , Gaber Edris , Kawther A. Al-Dhlan
{"title":"TiO2/MoS2-rGO composite Photoanodes: A Path to improved electron transport and photovoltaic efficiency in Dye-Sensitized solar cells","authors":"Ashraf A. Ali , Muawia Mohamed Ahmed Mahmoud , Saud Hamdan Alshammari , Mehmet Sarikahya , Abdulaziz Mohammed Alshareef , Gaber Edris , Kawther A. Al-Dhlan","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113405","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113405","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Improving the efficiency and viability of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) depends largely on addressing the material limitations of key components. Titanium dioxide (TiO<sub>2</sub>) is widely regarded as the best-performing semiconductor for DSSC photoanodes, yet its binary composition imposes constraints that prevent DSSCs from achieving their full potential. In this study, we demonstrate that incorporating two-dimensional (2D) materials into TiO<sub>2</sub> in the form of a nanocomposite significantly enhances its performance. Specifically, we investigate the application of a TiO<sub>2</sub>/MoS<sub>2</sub>-rGO nanocomposite as a photoanode material in DSSCs. While this composite has previously shown promise as an electrode material for supercapacitors and batteries, we reveal its substantial potential for DSSCs, particularly in improving the charge transport properties of bare TiO<sub>2</sub> through the addition of MoS<sub>2</sub> nanosheets, and enhancing porosity by introducing rGO into its lattice. Our results show an impressive 41% increase in efficiency, from 6.6% for pure TiO<sub>2</sub>-based DSSCs to 9.3% for DSSCs incorporating the TiO<sub>2</sub>/MoS<sub>2</sub>-rGO photoanode. Comprehensive studies and analyses were conducted to explore various aspects of the material and device, establishing TiO<sub>2</sub>/MoS<sub>2</sub>-rGO as a promising alternative to bare TiO<sub>2</sub> in DSSCs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"291 ","pages":"Article 113405"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143610128","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-03-13DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113407
Dhanusree T.S., George Jacob
{"title":"An efficient bilayer graphene-conducting polymer counter electrode for dye sensitized solar cells","authors":"Dhanusree T.S., George Jacob","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113407","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113407","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A counter electrode was fabricated for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) by the layer-by-layer approach that included reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and poly (3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). This design aimed to substitute the conventionally used high-cost, scarce, and complex method to produce platinum (Pt) counter electrode. This bilayer structure was developed by simple doctor blade and spin coating methods. The electrochemical performance of rGO/PEDOT:PSS counter electrode characterised by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and Tafel polarisation studies showed significant results in electrochemical stability and catalytic activity comparable to Pt counter electrode. Photovoltaic analysis of the DSSC assembled with rGO/PEDOT:PSS counter electrode revealed a V<sub>oc,</sub> J<sub>sc</sub>, and FF of 0.66 V, 25.3 mA/cm<sup>2</sup>, and 56.9%, respectively. An overall efficiency of 9.5% was obtained with the rGO/PEDOT:PSS counter electrode, which was slightly less than that of Pt counter electrode (9.8%). The results demonstrated that this counter electrode can achieve comparable performance to Pt, which makes it a suitable alternative for easily manufacturable, cost-effective and high-performance DSSCs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"291 ","pages":"Article 113407"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143621317","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-03-13DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113346
Raymond J. Wieser , Zelin Li , Xuanji Yu , Stephanie L. Moffitt , Ruben Zabalza , Michael D. Kempe , Liang Ji , Colleen O’Brien , Xiaohong Gu , Kenneth P. Boyce , Laura S. Bruckman
{"title":"PV backsheets survey protocol: A framework for geo-spatial field surveys for bulk material characterization and reliability analysis applied across 41 PV systems","authors":"Raymond J. Wieser , Zelin Li , Xuanji Yu , Stephanie L. Moffitt , Ruben Zabalza , Michael D. Kempe , Liang Ji , Colleen O’Brien , Xiaohong Gu , Kenneth P. Boyce , Laura S. Bruckman","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113346","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113346","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As widespread adoption of photovoltaic (PV) technologies continues, understanding the lifetime of modules is paramount to the viability of the industry as an environmentally conscious alternative to traditional energy generation. Although power degradation can affect the total energy production of a module over its lifetime, module safety failures necessitate the removal of a module leading to a loss of not only the particular asset, but the earning potential of the device. Therefore, it is critical to ensure that the components that provide essential safety functions for PV module operate for their entire rated lifetime. PV backsheets provide necessary electrical insulation to the completed device and failure of this component is cause for a immediate removal of the module. Degradation of the PV module backsheet has led to module safety failures in large-scale installations, costing millions of dollars in damages and lost potential revenue. The spatio-temporal degradation of fielded PV modules is important to study in order to identify which modules within installations are experiencing the greatest exposure conditions and in turn have the highest chance of failure. This paper describes a comprehensive field survey protocol developed for monitoring PV module backsheet performance using solely non-destructive methods in commercial PV fields. The protocol establishes a field naming convention, sampling method, data handling requirements, and measurement procedures. By ensuring consistent data collection practices, the field survey protocol enables research groups to obtain data of uniform quality on backsheet performance over multiple years and locations. In this study, the developed protocol was implemented at forty-one PV sites. Eight different types of airside layer backsheet materials including poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), acrylic PVDF, poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropylene-co-vinylidene fluoride) (THV), poly(vinyl fluoride) (PVF), poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), fluoroethylene vinyl ether (FEVE), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), and glass were identified using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. The field survey results show that the spatial distribution of degradation indicators are non-uniform within a particular module, individual site, and across site locations. The degradation of PV modules increased in severity for modules mounted at the edge of rows (across a field) and near the junction box (within a module). This study demonstrates the sensitivity of material performance to exposure length across different materials and climates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"291 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143601644","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-03-13DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113410
Hala J. El-Khozondar , Rifa J. El-Khozondar , Abdalkarim N. Sahmoud , Yasser F. Nassar
{"title":"Performance investigation of multilayer-layers solar cell based in ZnS-CZTSSe","authors":"Hala J. El-Khozondar , Rifa J. El-Khozondar , Abdalkarim N. Sahmoud , Yasser F. Nassar","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113410","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113410","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Researchers are investigating a range of materials to increase conversion efficiency, minimize the use of hazardous materials, and lower manufacturing costs because of the development of thin-film solar cells. To evaluate performance without wasting materials, one promising method is to modify solar cell materials, parameters, dimensions, and other factors using simulation tools. In this article, a mathematical model that incorporates both theoretical and experimental solar irradiance spectra is presented for thin-film solar cells based on copper zinc tin sulfo-selenide (CZTSSe). Four important performance metrics—open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current density, conversion efficiency, and fill factor—are assessed using the model, which is implemented using the Maple software. Considering different layer thicknesses, these metrics are examined for a ZnO/CdS/CZTSSe solar cell. Characteristic curves for current–voltage and power-voltage are also examined. The computations take into consideration the effects of surface dust on the diode as well as both ideal and actual representations of the solar cell. The findings show that adding a CdS buffer layer considerably enhances every performance metric and that, for every metric, the real diode model represents performance more accurately than the ideal model. The results also show that the cell has highest efficiency of 13.6.277 % at energy gap of CZTSSe (E<sub>2</sub> = 1.4 eV). In addition, results show that solar cell performance depredates as dust accumulate on its surface emphasizing the importance of cleaning the solar cell surface to maintain high performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"291 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143601645","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-03-13DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113416
Nora Arbaoui , Rachid Tadili , Morad El Baz , Ilham Ihoume , Hajar Essalhi , Mohammed Daoudi , Nadia Wahid , Jamal Aabdousse
{"title":"Impact of a solar greenhouse converted into a solar dryer on the performance indicators (energy efficiency, bio-chemical, economic and environmental) during summer season","authors":"Nora Arbaoui , Rachid Tadili , Morad El Baz , Ilham Ihoume , Hajar Essalhi , Mohammed Daoudi , Nadia Wahid , Jamal Aabdousse","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113416","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113416","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To maximize the use of a solar greenhouse and conserve energy or material consumption during all seasons, this study explores the feasibility of transforming an agricultural solar greenhouse into a solar dryer during the summer season. The system features an original solar heating system, combining a copper tube positioned between the double-glazed roof and a sensitive heat storage system installed inside the greenhouse. This new solar dryer consists of a solar collector on the roof, a drying chamber, and a thermal storage system. During the day, the hot air produced by the greenhouse effect will be evacuated to the attached compartment to dry the various products offered.</div><div>This article presents an assessment of the thermal performance of the greenhouse dryer with a comparison to two other indirect solar dryers. The internal temperature in the new indirect solar dryer is 53.11 °C when the ambient air temperature is 25.42 °C. However, the thermal efficiency of the new indirect solar dryer is recorded at 22.95 %. The payback period is 0.41 years for the new solar dryer, 1.62 years for solar dryer 2 and 7.28 years for solar dryer 1. Concerning the environmental analysis of the new solar dryer, the embodied energy is determined at 5006.09 kWh and for the time required for the energy payback is approximately 5.60 years, as long as the annual <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>CO</mi></mrow><mn>2</mn></msub></math></span> emissions is 511.12 kg/year. Over its lifetime, the new solar dryer can mitigate up to 26.29 tons of <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>CO</mi></mrow><mn>2</mn></msub></math></span> and the total gained carbon credit is $525.84.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"291 ","pages":"Article 113416"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143610129","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-03-12DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113391
Yan Tang , Yanlai Zhou , Pan Liu , Yuxuan Luo , Fanqi Lin , Fi-John Chang
{"title":"Revolutionizing solar-hydro-wind power forecasts in regional power systems with hybrid machine learning models","authors":"Yan Tang , Yanlai Zhou , Pan Liu , Yuxuan Luo , Fanqi Lin , Fi-John Chang","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113391","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113391","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As renewable energy’s share in the global energy mix increases, accurate forecasting of power output is crucial for grid stability and effective energy management. In multi-step-ahead forecasts, non-stationary signals and noise often lead to error accumulation and propagation. To address this, we propose a hybrid model integrating Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD) with Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) neural networks (VMD-LSTM). This model leverages VMD’s signal decomposition strengths and LSTM’s temporal forecasting capabilities, improving input stationarity and noise resistance. Focusing on a regional grid in Hunan province, China, we used hourly power output data from hydro, wind, and solar stations (2017–2022), divided into training and testing sets. The VMD-LSTM model, trained on decomposed power output data, generated forecasts up to 24 h ahead. Compared to the LSTM, VMD-LSTM demonstrated superior performance, with improvements in Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (NSE) by 6.7%, 9.1%, and 8.2%, and reductions in root mean squared error (RMSE) by 9.2%, 4.7%, and 16.8% for hydropower, wind, and solar forecasts at the 24-hour horizon. This study provides a valuable tool for enhancing renewable energy integration, contributing to the stability and efficiency of power grid management systems in regions with diverse energy sources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"291 ","pages":"Article 113391"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143601646","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-03-12DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113412
Aleksandar Nešović , Nebojša Lukić , Robert Kowalik , Agata Janaszek , Dragan Taranović , Tomasz Kozłowski
{"title":"Experimental and numerical comparison of glass tube collector with relative single-axis tracking and flat-plate collector without tracking during cloudy-sky days","authors":"Aleksandar Nešović , Nebojša Lukić , Robert Kowalik , Agata Janaszek , Dragan Taranović , Tomasz Kozłowski","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113412","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113412","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Single-axis trackers can improve the thermal performance of solar collectors by up to 40 % during clear-sky days. However, these advantages can be significantly reduced during the cloudy-sky days. This paper experimentally and numerically investigated and compared the thermal performances of two solar collector types (with the same inclined position and absorber material) in cases when the percentage share of diffuse solar radiation in total solar radiation was more dominant than beam solar radiation: glass tube collector with relative single-axis tracking (novel solar tracking concept) and fixed flat-plate collector (traditional solar non-tracking concept). Experimental results for one cloudy-sky day (29 July 2021) showed that compared to a fixed solar collector, the new tracking solar collector’s average daily specific useful heat was higher by about 8 % (<10 %). For the same date, the tracking solar collector regression line was slightly above and nearly parallel to the fixed solar collector regression line, which showed that the tracking mechanism has no major practical significance in such meteorological conditions. Simulations on an extended sample (15 June, 20 July, and 6 October) in EnergyPlus software agreed with experimental results, showing that the benefits of the single-axis tracking mechanism could be reduced to less than 3.5 % in some circumstances.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"291 ","pages":"Article 113412"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143601647","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Hydrothermal synthesis and energy saving potential of thermochromic VO2 nanocomposite window coatings in temperate North American climates","authors":"Khaled Khaled , Umberto Berardi , Marcel Schlaf , Dmitriy V. Soldatov","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113411","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113411","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Buildings in climate zones with both heating and cooling demands could significantly benefit from adopting dynamic windows. Thermochromic VO<sub>2</sub>-based nanocomposite coatings have gained attention for their ability to enhance visible transmittance and solar modulation compared to continuous films. However, processing VO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles with the desired thermochromic properties remains challenging. This article details the hydrothermal synthesis of VO<sub>2</sub> structures and systematically investigates several experimental parameters, including reaction temperature and duration, tungsten doping level, reductant type, vanadium concentration, and precursor pH. The results indicate that the best-performing film was obtained using rod-like particles processed at 280 °C for 72 h, with tartaric acid as a reducing agent. Doubling the initial vanadium concentration improved the crystallinity of the particles and VO<sub>2</sub> (M/R) phase content. Tungsten doping played crucial role in fabricating the desired M/R phases in a single-step synthesis, while lowering the precursor solution’s pH produced uniform VO<sub>1</sub>.<sub>7</sub>(OH)<sub>0</sub>.<sub>3</sub> particles, which were successfully transformed into VO<sub>2</sub> (M/R) after a brief low-temperature annealing at 250 °C for 30 min in air. The best-performing film exhibited a phase transition temperature of 40 °C, a solar modulation ability of 7 %, a visible transmittance of 44 %, and potential annual energy savings of up to 23 % in temperate climates, depending on the local weather conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"291 ","pages":"Article 113411"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143592962","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-03-11DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113406
Sharmila Tharuman, Shen-Ming Chen
{"title":"Efficient transition metal Oxide/rGO composite as a Pt-free counter electrode for DSSCs","authors":"Sharmila Tharuman, Shen-Ming Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113406","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113406","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) represent a promising renewable energy technology due to their low-cost fabrication and design flexibility. This study introduces a novel quaternary hybrid transition metal oxide and carbon composite counter electrode (CE) consisting of CuO, Co<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>, CoMoO<sub>4</sub> and rGO. Each component contributes distinct electrical and morphological properties that enhances the composite’s performance. CuO exhibits a stick-like structure for unidirectional charge transport, Co<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> has a spherical morphology for uniform dispersion and enhanced catalysis, CoMoO<sub>4</sub> forms rice-like particles for improved conductivity and stability, and rGO offers a sheet-like structure for high conductivity and surface area. The synergy of these morphologies enhances catalytic activity and conductivity, addressing the limitations of Pt-based CEs. When integrated with a TiO<sub>2</sub> photoanode and iodine-based electrolyte, The CuO/Co<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>/CoMoO<sub>4</sub>/rGO composite demonstrated a power conversion efficiency of 7.53%, achieving 96.29 % of the Pt-CE, making it a cost-effective and sustainable substitute to Pt in DSSCs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"291 ","pages":"Article 113406"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143592983","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}