Available online at www.scholarsresearchlibrary.com Scholars Research Library Scholars Research Library European Journal of Applied Engineering and Scientific Research, 2017, 5(1):1-13 ISSN: 2278-0041 A Study of Materials for Solar PV Technology and Challenges Mallikarjun G. Hudedmani*, Vishwanath Soppimath, Chaitanya Jambotkar Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, KLE Institute of Technology, Gokul, Hubballi, Karnataka, India ________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT The current global energy scenario and consumption rate is alarming greatly as the tremendous increase in population causes a sharp increase in electrical energy demand. The exhaustive extraction and production of fossil energy is the main reason and contributor to many environmental issues. As these fuels will ultimately get depleted resulting into increased energy shortfall, climate change and energy insecurity. In this regards every country is putting an effort to increase energy efficiency as well as switching over to new and renewable energy technologies. Among such solar energy from the sun is free and abundant. It offers number of strategic benefits which replaces the fossil-fuel combustion for the various electrical and thermal needs by minimizing the emissions of harmful gases and air pollutants. Currently, solar energy’s contribution to the total global energy supply is very low and small but the potential is enormous. Historically solar systems suffer from huge initial cost than conventional energy sources but once the solar technologies are installed, they have very low operating costs and require minimal input this provides security against conventional fuel supply disruptions and their prices. However present innovation and supports for solar manufacturing and sales prices have dropped greatly from the past few decades resulting into at energy price parity. Shockley-Queisser limit is the theoretical maximum efficiency that a single junction solar cell can exhibit. The current research in this direction is going on to find out the best substitute materials and technology to improve the performance of solar cells. The study of light spectrum and different absorption levels in semiconductor material, special coating, application of nano technology and use of organic polymers have led to greater saving and rapid production. Keywords: Energy Scenario, Renewable Energy Systems, Solar PV materials, Technology, Environmental impacts INTRODUCTION Every location on the Earth receives sunlight to a very good extent of the year and the quantity of solar radiation reaching any one point on the Earth's surface varies with respect to the followings namely, Geographic location, Time of day, Season, Local weather and landscape. A particular point on the Earth's surface gets maximum possible energy when sun is closer and rays are vertical as well varies with slant angles. The radiation data required for solar photovoltaic systems is expressed in terms of kilowatt-hours per square meter (kWh/m 2 ) and for solar heating systems it is British thermal units per square foot (Btu/ft 2 ). French physicist Edmond Becquerel discovered the concept of Photovoltaic conversion early in the year 1839. Solar PV cells are the basic building blocks of all PV systems made up of Photovoltaic (PV) materials and devices to convert sunlight into electrical current by photoelectric effect. Several PV cells of various sizes and shapes, from a smallest postage stamp to several centimetres drawn from semiconducting materials are often connected to form PV modules and in turn Arrays [1]. The other accessories like, electrical connections, mounting mechanisms, power-handling and