The cover image is based on the Research Article In situ quantification of temperature and strain within photovoltaic modules through optical sensing by Philippe Nivelle et al., https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.3622.

A hybrid HUA-BCMO approach is proposed for the influence of contact electrode and light power on the performance of tandem perovskite solar PV cell. The overall performance is applied in the MATLAB platform. The impact of temperature version on sun mobileular overall performance and effect of defect density of absorber layer can be explored. It is found that low defect density to achieve high device performance.

This study gives an overview of the status of implementation of photovoltaic (PV) systems among 34 member countries of COST Action PEARL PV. They cumulatively produced 120 TWh of PV electricity in 2018. Influencing factors that have an impact on the implementation in each country have been assessed. Strong correlations were found between inhabitants and annual electricity production and consumption, while weak correlations were found between gross domestic product, global irradiation, subsidy schemes, cumulative installed capacity, and other variables.

In this work, we present an irradiance simulation approach to calculate the irradiance of photovoltaic modules installed in geometrically complex scenarios. In the proposed approach, the ray tracing calculations are independent from the reflectivity of the surfaces and the illumination conditions, which enables high-resolution spectral irradiance simulations of PV systems in locations with time-varying optical properties.

The cost of PV modules has declined sharply in the last decade, whereas designs and materials have also changed. Is the degradation rate for newer PV modules different than current assumptions? We measured the performance degradation of 834 fielded PV modules representing 13 module types from 7 manufacturers in 3 climates over 5 years and found a mean and median degradation rate of −0.6%/year, which is consistent with rates estimated for older modules.

Total band alignment parameters were estimated based on the measurements of photoelectron yield spectroscopy. Total band alignment parameters are disclosed to obtain enhanced photovoltaic performances of Cu (In,Ga)(S,Se)² (CIGSSe) solar cells. The 16.5%-efficient Cd-free and flexible CIGSSe solar cell on stainless steel subtract was ultimately obtained by all-dry process.

Within this work, a novel approach to in-laminate sensing is proposed and demonstrated employing optical sensors using Fibre Bragg Gratings. This scalable approach enables in situ monitoring of the thermo-mechanical behavior of many laminate constituents during all development phases ranging from production up to field testing. Using an optically transparent packaging, an absolute temperature accuracy of ± 0.3°C and a strain sensitivity lower than 0.248 μϵ has been achieved. To demonstrate the potential of this approach, a case study on thermal cycling conditions is discussed.

Market potential and environmental sustainability evaluation of a scalable carbon-based perovskite solar cell (PSC) benchmarked to c-Si and CIGS PVs. The analysis covers the PSCs full lifecycle and is based on energy yield data. This PSC can produce electricity at low cost (3–6 €cents/kWh), with lowest energy payback (0.6–0.8 years) and greenhouse gas emissions (15–25 g CO₂ eq./kWh) compared with grid-connected PV market alternatives, assuming 25 years of lifetime, expected PV system cost reductions, and module recycling and refurbishment.