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Volume 19
Issue 11
10.3390/en19112684
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Review

Thin-Film Solar Cells for Solar Thermal Cooling, Heating, and Energy Storage Systems: Materials, Manufacturing, and Emerging Applications

by
Sunzid Hassan
1,
Sabbir Alom Shuvo
1,
Jarif Ul Alam
2,
Nafiya Islam
3,
Md Faiaz Al Islam
3,4,
Yead Rahman
1,3,
Iftesam Nabi
1,
Fatima Yeasmin
5,
Md Ashfaq Siddiquee
6,
Ahsanul Alam Kabhi
6,
Mehrab Hosain
6 and
M Shafiqur Rahman
4,*
1
Department of Computer Science, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USA
2
Department of Computer Information Systems, College of Business, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USA
3
Department of Electrical Engineering, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USA
4
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USA
5
Molecular Science and Technology, College of Applied and Natural Sciences, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USA
6
Department of Engineering, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Energies 2026, 19(11), 2684; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19112684
Submission received: 26 February 2026 / Revised: 14 April 2026 / Accepted: 29 May 2026 / Published: 2 June 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technology for Solar Thermal Cooling, Heating, and Energy Storage—2nd Edition)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Thin-film solar cells (TFSCs) remain a cornerstone of the global transition toward renewable energy, characterized by consistent reductions in manufacturing costs and steady gains in power conversion efficiency. In addition to electricity generation, TFSCs play an important role in advanced solar thermal cooling, heating, and energy storage systems, where their tunable optical absorption, low thermal mass, and flexibility enable integration with photovoltaic–thermal (PV/T) collectors, thermally driven cooling cycles, and hybrid thermal–electrical storage architectures. This paper provides a comprehensive review of prominent TFSC technologies, including copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS), cadmium telluride (CdTe/CdS), amorphous silicon (a-Si), copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS), organic photovoltaics (OPVs), and metal halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs), with a focus on their material structures, performance specifications, and current efficiency benchmarks. Compared to state-of-the-art reviews, this article distinguishes itself by addressing next-generation innovations, cross-domain solar thermal–photovoltaic applications, and economic analysis. Specifically, the integration of machine learning and simulation-based material dynamics is examined to accelerate material discovery, process optimization, and the characterization of novel TFPV components relevant to coupled thermal–electrical energy systems. Furthermore, the study explores how additive manufacturing is transforming the industry through the development of high-efficiency electrodes, electrohydrodynamic atomization for thin-film deposition, and the fabrication of flexible solar arrays suitable for thermally integrated and building-scale energy systems, including space applications. By integrating advancements in module efficiency, scalable manufacturing approaches, and techno-economic analysis, this paper positions TFSCs as sustainable, resource-abundant technologies essential for next-generation solar thermal cooling, heating, and energy storage infrastructures.
Keywords: thin-film solar cell; efficiency; thermal cooling; thermal heating; energy storage; economics thin-film solar cell; efficiency; thermal cooling; thermal heating; energy storage; economics

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Hassan, S.; Shuvo, S.A.; Alam, J.U.; Islam, N.; Islam, M.F.A.; Rahman, Y.; Nabi, I.; Yeasmin, F.; Siddiquee, M.A.; Kabhi, A.A.; et al. Thin-Film Solar Cells for Solar Thermal Cooling, Heating, and Energy Storage Systems: Materials, Manufacturing, and Emerging Applications. Energies 2026, 19, 2684. https://doi.org/10.3390/en19112684

AMA Style

Hassan S, Shuvo SA, Alam JU, Islam N, Islam MFA, Rahman Y, Nabi I, Yeasmin F, Siddiquee MA, Kabhi AA, et al. Thin-Film Solar Cells for Solar Thermal Cooling, Heating, and Energy Storage Systems: Materials, Manufacturing, and Emerging Applications. Energies. 2026; 19(11):2684. https://doi.org/10.3390/en19112684

Chicago/Turabian Style

Hassan, Sunzid, Sabbir Alom Shuvo, Jarif Ul Alam, Nafiya Islam, Md Faiaz Al Islam, Yead Rahman, Iftesam Nabi, Fatima Yeasmin, Md Ashfaq Siddiquee, Ahsanul Alam Kabhi, and et al. 2026. "Thin-Film Solar Cells for Solar Thermal Cooling, Heating, and Energy Storage Systems: Materials, Manufacturing, and Emerging Applications" Energies 19, no. 11: 2684. https://doi.org/10.3390/en19112684

APA Style

Hassan, S., Shuvo, S. A., Alam, J. U., Islam, N., Islam, M. F. A., Rahman, Y., Nabi, I., Yeasmin, F., Siddiquee, M. A., Kabhi, A. A., Hosain, M., & Rahman, M. S. (2026). Thin-Film Solar Cells for Solar Thermal Cooling, Heating, and Energy Storage Systems: Materials, Manufacturing, and Emerging Applications. Energies, 19(11), 2684. https://doi.org/10.3390/en19112684

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