A UK foresight study of materials in decarbonisation technologies : the case of photovoltaic cells

Solar power is an effectively infinite renewable energy source that potentially has a major role to play in decarbonisation (Maka and Alabid, 2022; National Grid, 2023a). The conversion of energy from the Sun into electricity requires the use of photovoltaic (PV) panel technologies. Solar PV panels are now widely used at domestic and industrial scales for generating electrical power. The electricity produced can be used directly or stored in rechargeable batteries. Solar PV panels for energy generation should not be confused with solar thermal panels, which convert solar energy into heat (Modi, 2023).