research paper topics solar energy

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

• View all journals

Renewable energy articles from across Nature Portfolio

Renewable energy is energy that comes from sources that are readily replenishable on short-timescales. Examples of these are solar radiation, wind, and biomass.

Breaking the reaction chain

Wide band gap perovskite solar cells suffer from halide segregation, which hampers their use in tandem solar cells. Now, researchers develop an additive with redox and defect passivating capabilities to suppress halide migration, enabling perovskite–organic tandems with over 25% efficiency.

• Aleksandra B. Djurišić

An organic approach

Copper catalysts hold promise for producing multi-carbon chemicals through electrochemical CO 2 reduction, but improving performance is challenging due to the limited tunability of the copper surface. Now, research uses organic functionalization to modify the surface oxidation state of copper, yielding improved energy efficiency for ethylene production.

• Yun Jeong Hwang

Related Subjects

• Geothermal energy
• Hydroelectricity
• Hydrogen energy
• Solar energy
• Wind energy

Latest Research and Reviews

Bias-free solar NH 3 production by perovskite-based photocathode coupled to valorization of glycerol

Photoelectrocatalytic nitrate reduction offers an opportunity for a lower carbon route to ammonia production but has not been realized due to poor efficiency. Here an efficient modified lead halide perovskite photocathode is coupled to glycerol oxidation anode resulting in a bias-free photocurrent density greater than 20 mA cm −2 .

• Ahmad Tayyebi
• Rashmi Mehrotra
• Ji-Wook Jang

Optimal blade pitch control for enhanced vertical-axis wind turbine performance

Vertical-axis wind turbines offer untapped opportunities for energy generation but suffer from dynamic stall in strong winds. Here, authors implement individual blade pitch control to benefit from stall vortices instead of suppressing them, tripling the power coefficient and reducing load transients by 70%.

• Sébastien Le Fouest
• Karen Mulleners

Suppression of phase segregation in wide-bandgap perovskites with thiocyanate ions for perovskite/organic tandems with 25.06% efficiency

Wide-bandgap perovskite solar cells suffer from phase segregation. Zhang et al. show that thiocyanate ions overcome the issue by occupying iodide vacancies while regulating crystallization, enabling perovskite/organic tandem cells with 25.06% efficiency.

• Zhichao Zhang
• Weijie Chen
• Yongfang Li

Harnessing strong aromatic conjugation in low-dimensional perovskite heterojunctions for high-performance photovoltaic devices

The large organic cations in low-dimensional perovskite often introduces carrier mobility anisotropy and impedes charge transport. Here, authors report perovskite heterojunction with strong aromatic conjugated perovskites, realizing certified efficiency of over 25% in stable perovskite solar cells.

• Zonglong Zhu

Exploring the potential of non-residential solar to tackle energy injustice

A new study from Moritz Wussow and colleagues assesses solar deployment equity across residential and non-residential sectors and discusses pathways for policy action to promote non-residential solar in disadvantaged communities.

• Moritz Wussow
• Chad Zanocco
• Ram Rajagopal

Experimental investigation on utilization of Sesbania grandiflora residues through thermochemical conversion process for the production of value added chemicals and biofuels

• Kedri Janardhana
• C. Sowmya Dhanalakshmi
• Melvin Victor De Poures

News and Comment

How climate change is affecting global timekeeping

Melting polar ice could delay major time adjustment, and the strange connection between brain inflammation and memory.

• Elizabeth Gibney
• Nick Petrić Howe

Delivery of CO

• James Gallagher

Tolerance testing

• Giulia Tregnago

A view of wind turbines drives down home values — but only briefly

House prices drop by 1% if wind turbines are close and visible, but they rebound quickly.

Sensing fugitive hydrogen emissions

For the transition to a sustainable energy sector, massive hydrogen production and use is crucial. There is growing awareness of a connection between an indirect global warming potential and the production of hydrogen, so its fugitive emissions must be addressed. This Comment emphasizes the need for affordable hydrogen-sensing methods to benefit safety, energy efficiency and the climate.

• Sudipta Chatterjee
• Kuo-Wei Huang

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies