High-performance and eco-friendly semitransparent organic solar cells for greenhouse applications

Abstract

<h2>Summary</h2> Semitransparent organic solar cells (ST-OSCs) can potentially meet the huge demands of off-grid and rooftop power supplies for advanced agricultural activities; yet, only a few efforts have been devoted to its development. Herein, we developed a high-performance spectrally engineered ST-OSCs using "green" fabrication for greenhouse. Empowered by the newly designed quaternary blends, OSCs were obtained with an excellent power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 17.71%. Such quaternary blends not only exhibit the suitable photon transmission windows for plant absorption but also retain excellent photovoltaic properties upon non-halogenated solvent fabrication, leading to PCEs of 17.43% for opaque and 13.08% for ST-OSCs (with a plant growth factor of 24.7%), which represent the best-performed OSCs made from non-halogenated solvents. Under the ST-OSCs filtered lights, plants grow favorably, with growth being comparable with that under glass. This work provides an effective approach to constructing organic solar cells with promising features as eco-friendly greenhouse photovoltaics.