Charge and Energy Transfer Dynamics in Organic Solar Cells Using Extracts of Algae

The relationship between photosynthesis and photovoltaics is often viewed from different positions by researchers, whilst in fact, these two are related. Photovoltaics is a direct copy of photosynthesis, where the green leaf is the oldest solar cell with almost 100% photo conversion efficiency. The mechanism of solar energy conversion in photosynthesis is sustainable and environmentally safe, has a great potential as an example of renewable energy device. The efforts to collect all photons in the visible light has been unsuccessful due to bandgap limitations of inorganic materials. Recent advances in the design of optimal organic solar cells include the creation of converters in which thylakoid membranes, photosystems and cyanobacteria immobilized on nanostructured electrodes are used. Application of carotenoids and thylakoids pigments has extended light absorption from ultraviolet to infra-red photons, an effort to improve solar cell performance and photo conversion efficiency. This presentation aims review charge and energy transfer dynamics in organic solar cells to produce maximum efficiency using algae-related matter.