Flexibility, light weight, and mechanical robustness are the key advantages of flexible photovoltaic (PV) modules, making them highly versatile for sustainable energy solutions. Unlike traditional rigid PV modules, their flexible nature makes them incredibly versatile for harnessing energy in places where doing so was once impossible. They have a wide range of applications due to their flexibility and moldability, making it possible to conform these modules to surfaces like curved rooftops and other irregular structures. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of all the materials used in flexible PV modules with a focus on their role in sustainability. We thoroughly discuss the active-layer materials for crystalline silicon (c-Si)-based solar cells (SC) and thin-film solar cells such as cadmium telluride (CdTe), as well as copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS), amorphous thin-film silicon (a-Si), perovskite and organic solar cells. Various properties, such as the optical, barrier, thermal, and mechanical properties of different substrate materials, are reviewed. Transport layers and conductive electrode materials are discussed with a focus on emerging trends and contributions to sustainable PV technology. Various fabrication techniques involved in making flexible PV modules, along with advantages, disadvantages, and future trends, are highlighted in the paper. The commercialization of flexible PV is also discussed, which is a crucial milestone in advancing and adapting new technologies in the PV industry with a focus on contributing toward sustainability.

The optical properties of quantum dots (QDs) can be altered by employing surface plasmon metallic nanoparticles close to the QDs. In this study, we investigate the photoluminescence (PL) enhancement of CdSe/CdS core-shell QDs coupled with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) due to the plasmonic effect. The effect of the morphology of AuNPs and the importance of the spacer layer were also analyzed. The AuNPs are deposited on a glass substrate by magnetron sputtering to achieve precise morphological control. The deposited nanoparticles have a uniform distribution and optimal particle size ranging between 10 and 12 nm. A poly-(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) spacer layer was employed between QDs and AuNPs to control the separation and avoid quenching effects due to Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). Maximum PL enhancement was observed for a spacer layer of 25 nm thickness due to the plasmonic effect. This coupled structure can potentially be used to enhance the PL of QDs acting as a downshifting layer, which can be used to improve the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and improve light trapping in solar cells.