Smart Materials and Their Applications in Renewable Energy Systems
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59675/E415Keywords:
Smart materials; Renewable energy systems; Energy storage; Perovskite solar cells; Shape memory alloys.Abstract
Background: Smart materials that respond dynamically to external stimuli have become transformative for renewable energy systems, offering unique properties that improve energy conversion efficiency, storage capacity, and overall system performance. Purpose: This paper provides a comprehensive review of smart materials technology and its applications in solar energy, wind energy, thermal energy storage, and vibration-based energy harvesting. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted using IEEE Xplore, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, covering publications from 2003 to 2025. The review encompasses shape memory alloys, piezoelectric materials, thermochromic and electrochromic materials, phase change materials, and self-healing materials within renewable energy contexts. Findings: Perovskite solar cells incorporating smart material principles achieved power conversion efficiencies exceeding 25%; thermochromic coatings enhanced building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) performance by 18–23%; shape memory alloy blade designs improved wind turbine aerodynamic efficiency by 12–15%; phase change material storage systems delivered thermal capacities of 150–250 kJ/kg with stability over 5,000+ charge–discharge cycles; and self-healing materials extended system lifetimes by 30–40%. Conclusion: Smart materials represent a promising frontier for renewable energy development, though challenges related to manufacturing cost, scalability, long-term durability, and systems integration must be addressed through continued research.
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