A Comprehensive Study on Flexible Solar Panels for Sustainable Energy

Flexible solar panels offer distinct advantages over traditional rigid panels, including enhanced portability, lightweight design, and adaptability to various surfaces. Thus, this paper focuses on exploring the diverse materials employed in flexible solar cells, such as amorphous silicon, copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS), organic photovoltaics (OPVs), and perovskites, each with its unique strengths and limitations. Additionally, the paper presents different categories of flexible panels, such as monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and thin-film types, highlighting their distinct characteristics. Further, the paper delves into the wide range of applications for flexible solar panels, including portable power solutions, wearable technology, building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), automotive systems, and more. It also addresses the challenges associated with flexible panels, such as higher cost, durability concerns, and scalability issues. Besides, the paper also presents a comprehensive analysis of the state-of-the-art patent data, including patents per year, patents per protection country, and patents per top assignees across the world, providing valuable insight into the competitive landscape and emerging trends in the industry. Lastly, the paper highlights the promising future of flexible solar technology, driven by advancements in materials like perovskites and their potential to revolutionize the renewable energy landscape.