Outlook and Future Directions for Indoor Photovoltaics: Modern Societal Needs and Challenges

The merging of research’s physical, chemical, and biological spheres is changing our way of life and human interactions. Further, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoTs) are changing our business and life interactions. This has crowded our room with several small-scale devices for daily use. The charging of all IoT devices depends on batteries. Nonetheless, self-powered IoT devices are the need of the hour. Emerging photovoltaics, known as tandem solar cells (TSCs) of silicon-perovskite, organic solar cells (OSCs), perovskite solar cells (PSCs), and silicon-perovskite combination solar cells, can provide a better solution for self-powered IoT devices. However, PSCs are coming to the forefront of this race to provide solutions for powering IoT devices. Nevertheless, every technology has its pros and cons and is in the stage of further exploration. Herein, a state-of-the-art overview of IoT-powering technology will be reviewed with a special focus on photovoltaics as the most relevant IoT-powering technology. The issues of stability and standards for emerging photovoltaic technologies are also discussed in detail for their futuristic exploration.