Adnan Alashkar

Concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) systems offer a promising approach to enhancing solar energy conversion efficiency by utilizing optical concentrators and advanced solar cell technologies. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the history, evolution, and fundamental characteristics of CPV systems. The paper also explores the strengths and limitations of CPV technologies, with particular attention to the materials used in the optical and solar cell components, as well as the manufacturing challenges that affect scalability and performance. A detailed analysis of cooling techniques, such as radiative, phase change material, liquid immersion, microchannel, and jet impingement, is presented to address thermal management in high‐concentration environments. Accordingly, the differences among these cooling techniques in terms of energy consumption, reliability, and adaptability have been investigated. Furthermore, the paper examines the integration of CPV systems into advanced applications, including solar‐powered desalination, thermoelectric generators, light‐splitting configurations, and building‐integrated structures. Moreover, digital integration in CPVs has recently been considered a promising approach to maximizing the electrical output of these systems, mainly through the enhancement of solar tracking systems and input/output predictions. Through this multidimensional review, the study highlights the potential of CPV technologies to contribute significantly to sustainable energy solutions, while also addressing the technical and practical challenges that remain.

The expansion of green hydrogen utilization is increasing globally due to the current focus on sustainable energy transformation. However, this shift is accompanied by significant issues related to fluctuations, control strategies, and supply chains. In that regard, digital technology plays a major role in promoting the development of green hydrogen. This paper reviews current advances in the digitalization of green hydrogen production, mainly based on electrolysis of water. This review features topics such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), the Internet of Things (IoT), digital twin (DT), and blockchain applications. These technologies are suitable for applications across micro-, meso-, and macro-scales and have been utilized to improve process optimization, real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and system scalability. It has been shown that production efficiency and resource utilization can be significantly enhanced through data-driven control and automation. Moreover, blockchain frameworks have been adopted to secure transactions and increase transparency across hydrogen supply chains. Although certain challenges such as infrastructure limitations and data interoperability remain unresolved, the role of digitalization in enabling low-emission, intelligent hydrogen production has been firmly established. As energy systems evolve toward decarbonization, the convergence of renewable energy and digital control is expected to shape the next phase of the global hydrogen economy.

The expansion of green hydrogen utilization is increasing globally due to the current focus on sustainable energy transformation. However, this shift is accompanied by significant issues related to fluctuations, control strategies, and supply chains. In that regard, digital technology plays a major role in promoting the development of green hydrogen. This paper reviews current advances in the digitalization of green hydrogen production, mainly based on electrolysis of water. This review features topics such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), the Internet of Things (IoT), digital twin (DT), and blockchain applications. These technologies are suitable for applications across micro-, meso-, and macro-scales and have been utilized to improve process optimization, real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and system scalability. It has been shown that production efficiency and resource utilization can be significantly enhanced through data-driven control and automation. Moreover, blockchain frameworks have been adopted to secure transactions and increase transparency across hydrogen supply chains. Although certain challenges such as infrastructure limitations and data interoperability remain unresolved, the role of digitalization in enabling low-emission, intelligent hydrogen production has been firmly established. As energy systems evolve toward decarbonization, the convergence of renewable energy and digital control is expected to shape the next phase of the global hydrogen economy.

Advancements in flexible, low-cost, and recyclable alternatives to transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) are critical challenges in the sustainability of third-generation solar cells. This work introduces a copper mesh-based transparent electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells, replacing conventional fluorine doped-tin oxide (FTO)-coated glass to simultaneously reduce spectral reflection losses, enhance mechanical flexibility, and enable material recyclability. Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) photoanodes were synthesized and directly deposited onto the mesh via a single-step, low-energy ball milling process, which eliminates TiO₂ paste preparation and high-temperature annealing while reducing fabrication time from over three hours to 30 min. Structural and surface analyses confirmed the deposition of high-purity anatase-phase TiO₂ with strong adhesion to the mesh branches, enabling improved dye loading and electron injection pathways. Optical studies revealed higher visible light absorption for the copper mesh compared to FTO in the visible range, further enhanced upon TiO₂ and Ru-based dye deposition. Electrochemical measurements showed that TiO₂/Cu mesh electrodes exhibited significantly higher photocurrent densities and faster photo response rates than bare Cu mesh, with dye-sensitized Cu mesh achieving the lowest charge transfer resistance in impedance analysis. Techno–economic and sustainability assessments revealed a decrease of 7.8% in cost and 82% in CO₂ emissions associated with the fabrication of electrodes as compared to conventional TCO electrodes. The synergy between high conductivity, transparency, mechanical durability, and a scalable, recyclable fabrication route positions this architecture as a strong candidate for next-generation dye-sensitized solar modules that are both flexible and sustainable.