Optimization of optical and electrical properties of active semiconducting layers is required to enhance thin film solar cells' efficiency and consequently became the cornerstone for sustainable energy production. Computational studies are one of the ways forward to optimize solar cells’ characteristics. In this study, Silvaco-Atlas, a powerful software that excels in both 2D and 3D electrical simulations of semiconductors has been used for the simulation in order to investigate the solar cell properties. The architecture of the solar cell simulated was FTO/ZnO/In2S3/CuInS2/Mo. This study aims to optimize solar cell efficiency by optimizing film thicknesses and carrier concentrations via simulation. The designed solar cell was exposed to the presence of a sun spectrum of AM1.5 from a 1kW/m2 incident power density at 300K. The thickness values of the window (ZnO), absorber (CuInS2) and buffer (In2S3) layers were varied to record a solar cell's optimum thickness. The resulting FTO/ZnO/In2S3/CuInS2/Mo solar cell formed by simulation is presented. The best efficiency and fill factor of the solar cell simulated were found to be 41.67% and 89.19%, respectively. The recorded values of current density and the open circuit voltage of the cell were 40.33mA/cm2 and 1.15 V, respectively. Additionally, the maximum power of the simulated solar cell device was 41.68 mW. Optimization results revealed that the most efficient cell found was made up of a window layer with a thickness of 0.03μm, an absorber layer with a thickness of 6.0μm and a buffer layer with a thickness of 0.2μm. The optimized carrier concentration of ZnO, In2S3 and CuInS2 was respectively 1e21 cm-3, 1e20 cm-3, 3e18 cm-3 and the optimized Al-doped ZnO value was 1e25 cm-3. The Absorption spectra indicated that the solar cell's peak absorption occurs between 350 nm and 1250 nm and presented a good external quantum efficiency (EQE) of around 84.52% to 92.83% which indicates good efficiency in the visible domain. This performance is attributed to the transparency of FTO, ZnO and good absorption of In2S3 and CuInS2 thin films.
27 August 2025 in SolarPACES Conference Proceedings
The urgent need for sustainable energy solutions to combat climate change and the growing global energy demand has stimulated the development of renewable energy technologies. Among these, hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) that combine multiple energy sources promise enhanced efficiency, reliability and flexibility compared to single-source systems. This research focuses on a novel HRES configuration that integrates a concentrated solar power named solar tower with thermal energy storage (TES), photovoltaic modules and battery energy storage systems (BESS) in North Togo. The study aimed to maximize the energy produced, while reducing costs and finally evaluated the environmental aspect saved. We use parametric optimization through SAM to determine the optimum levelized cost of energy and net present value. SAM software was used for heliostat modelling. The single-owner model was used for financial analysis. The results demonstrated the project's financial viability and environmental impact, with an LCOE of $0.14kWh-1 indicating a competitive cost of energy production and an IRR of 14.87% showcasing strong investment returns. A high NPV of $9,307,001 indicated some good interest in the proposed HRES. Furthermore, the significant reduction of 25,815.7513 tons of CO2 emissions highlights the project's substantial contribution to sustainability and carbon footprint reduction.
14 February 2026 in Energy Conversion and Management: X