A Comprehensive Review of Solar Photovoltaic Systems: Scope, Technologies, Applications, Progress, Challenges, and Recommendations

The paradigm for energy systems has shifted in the last several years from non-renewable energy sources to renewable energy sources (RESs). Leveraging RESs seeks to meet local demand while reducing complexity, expense, and inefficiencies and promoting energy independence, local resilience, and the transition to zero CO2 emissions. One of the RES technologies that could help create clean, dependable, scalable, and reasonably priced energy is solar energy. This article offers a detailed analysis of solar photovoltaic (PV) technology. It examines the distinct qualities and developments of the three generations of solar PV technologies: first-generation crystalline silicon, second-generation thin-film, and third-generation developing technologies, including perovskite and organic cells. The study also looks at the many diverse applications of solar photovoltaics, such as energy communities, microgrids, transportation systems, telecommunications, and agriculture. Moreover, it highlights the deployment of the solar PV system in Italy by overseeing the installed capacity, electricity generation, and energy consumption with different types of energy sources after focusing on global and European scenarios. From the data, it is seen that China, the USA, and India have led the world in capacity growth for solar PV, while Europe continues to lead the way in policy-driven solar adoption. Italy has seen great growth in Europe after Germany in 2023, as compared to previous years. Apart from this, the challenges are also seen, which could result in hindrances in the deployment of solar PV growth. So, the article also offers recommendations for the future like the establishment of a balanced policy environment for distributed PV, encouragement of off-grid electrification system adoption, maintenance of the solar PV cost reduction trajectory, and encouraging the creation of more intelligent inverter systems to help with balance-of-system cost reductions and grid integration, friendly relation with community and supportive policies in the country.