Executive Summary : | Photovoltaic (PV) technologies are expected to meet 16% of global energy demand by 2050, but to achieve this, the annual PV installation rate must increase from 36 GW to over 120 GW. Next-generation PV technologies, such as thin film PV matured technologies, must be investigated for cost reductions and improved Si-based PV. Efforts to make low-cost solution-processed photovoltaic devices may increase the rate of implementation and make production and installation more accessible in developing countries. Recent scientific efforts have resulted in solution-processed organic-inorganic halide perovskites, which are nearly ideal materials for'solar paint' due to their low processing temperature and high defect tolerance. They are also promising for coupling with Si and other PV technologies for tandem applications. However, halide perovskite solar cells exhibit negative effects when exposed to water vapour and organic solvents, prompting further research on stable'solar materials' for PV technologies. Semiconductor-sensitized solar cells (SSSC) have emerged from long-term study of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Binary chalcogenides and halides (e.g., InI, Sb2S3) and chalcohalides (SbSI) are examples of inorganic semiconductor materials with hybrid perovskite-like properties. However, there are gaps in producing high-quality Sb-based chalcogenide/chalcohalide materials with improved defect tolerance. Understanding the semiconductor properties of these materials as a function of composition is critical for better utilization in SSSc applications. |