The role of low light intensity: A cheap, stable, and solidly efficient amorphous Sb2S3 powder/hypericin composite/PVA matrix loaded with electrolyte solar cell

We report here on an inexpensive, solid and stable solar cell designed and made entirely of synthesized materials, Sb2S3/hypericin (dye) thin film on ITO‐coated glass (working electrode), aluminum (counter electrode), and PVA matrix (solid carrier) loaded with electrolyte (0.5M KI + 0.05M I2). The fact that the cell is inexpensive but also stable and solid, with efficiency of around 1.3%/cm2 at a very low light intensity of only 5% sun, makes it particularly suitable for indoor applications. At higher light intensities of 25 and 55% sun, however, the cell exhibits lower efficiency, around 0.3 and 0.07%/cm2, respectively. Development of low‐cost cell technology combined with understanding of low light utilization and setting of standard conditions should be some of the future directions the research in this area should follow. Therefore, in this work, we tried to give sufficient reasons for establishing standard conditions related to low light intensity. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 36: 1507–1516, 2017