Next-Generation Solar Energy Harvesting, Lighting, and Photovoltaic Innovations

Dear Colleagues,

1. Introduction

The growing global demand for sustainable energy solutions has placed solar technology at the forefront of scientific and technological innovation. Advances in photonics, materials science, and device engineering are continuously reshaping the capabilities of solar energy systems. This research area is critical for enhancing the efficiency, stability, and integration of solar technologies into diverse applications—from building-integrated photovoltaics to portable energy systems. We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue, which seeks to showcase cutting-edge developments in next-generation solar harvesting, lighting, and photovoltaic devices.

2. Aim of the Special Issue

This Special Issue aims at gathering high-quality research and review articles that explore novel materials, device architectures, and system integration strategies for advanced solar energy applications. The topic aligns closely with the journal’s scope covering renewable energy materials, photonics, and sustainable engineering, with an emphasis on innovative approaches that improve performance and scalability. We welcome contributions that address both fundamental and applied challenges in the field, with the goal of compiling a collection of articles that reflect the current state and future directions of solar technology.

3. Suggested Themes and Article Types

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Perovskite and organic solar cells;
• Tandem and multi-junction photovoltaic configurations;
• Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs);
• Photovoltaic windows and building-integrated systems;
• Agrivoltaics;
• Novel light-management materials and interfaces.

Dr. Ning Zhou
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Photonics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• perovskite solar cells
• organic photovoltaics (OPVs)
• tandem solar cells
• luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs)
• building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV)
• agrivoltaics
• photovoltaic windows
• emerging photovoltaic materials
• solar energy harvesting