Solar skins epitomise the perfect blend of aesthetics and functionality. A solar skin is essentially a layer (skin) with a graphic or design which can be placed over a traditional PV solar panel. 

They allow people to customise their solar panels so that they fit the aesthetics of their home or other building, without the solar panels losing their ability to produce electricity. 

Homeowners put off by the appearance of solar panels might be especially attracted to the idea of solar skins. They could also further increase the value of a home by marrying free electricity with an aesthetically pleasing design.

And as with many new technologies, costs tend to decrease over time, meaning solar skins could be a widespread feature on homes with solar panels in the years to come.

Most homeowners in Ireland with solar panels installed have roof-mounted structures – meaning their array of solar panels fits into a rack which is attached to their roof. But what if the roof itself was made of photovoltaic solar panels? 

BIPV — building-integrated photovoltaics — are photovoltaic materials that are used in place of conventional building materials on parts of new builds such as roofs, skylights and facades. They are becoming increasing popular for those constructing new buildings, allowing them to offset their energy costs entirely or partially.

One advantage of building-integrated photovoltaics over more common systems which are not integrated, i.e, rack mounted PV structures, is that the initial costs can be offset by cutting the costs of labour and materials.

BIPV also allows for more a more widespread solar adoption when the building’s aesthetics are important.

Performance and costs are two of the main challenges facing BIPV and will determine whether they become more widespread in the future. 

Performance issues stem from BIPV having lower heat dissipation capabilities than rack-mounted PV, and its higher temperatures can decrease efficiency, putting people who want to future-proof their homes off the idea. 

The high upfront investment in BIPV systems is another challenge. As well as the components, the integrated nature of BIPV solar systems increases the building design’s complexity, ramping up costs.

On the more bizarre end of the predictions’ spectrum are solar fabrics, which could change the face of wearable electronics, and perhaps even fashion. 

These clothes with photovoltaic PV cells integrated into the fabric could power smartphones, headphones, or other electronic devices in the future, meaning no more scrambling around trying to find a charger when your phone dies. 

Solar cell fabric has embedded PV cells which generate electricity when exposed to light, in the same way that traditional solar panels do. 

Ultra-light, ultra-thin, fabric solar cells are thinner than a human hair and are one-hundredth of the weight of a traditional solar panel. They can transform almost any surface into a source of green energy, and could be huge in the future.

While photovoltaic solar panels with standard silicon cells have an efficiency rate of around 21%, laboratory perovskite cells have efficiencies of almost 26%, and as much as 31% for perovskite cells combined with silicon. 

The efficiency of these thin-film solar panels has seen enormous growth over the past decade, and they are now being developed by companies around the world. 

Despite this, the rise of perovskite panels depends on the technology overcoming a number of challenges including its durability and manufacturability.

Silicon panels are not only becoming more efficient each year, but also cheaper. While their presence on dry land is nothing new, ‘floatovoltaics’ could be the next big thing.

As the name suggests (a portmanteau combining float and photovoltaics), it refers to solar panel systems on bodies of water such as reservoirs or dams.

These solar farms can create vast amounts of electricity without the need for precious real estate and the installation costs are less than land-based photovoltaic panels.

They also have an added benefit of potentially aiding water management by reducing the loss of water to evaporation, limiting air circulation and blocking sunlight from the water’s surface.