2024 in Review: Highlights and Key Developments

Abstract

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has continued to make a significant impact on the scientific community and research during the last year. This was clearly demonstrated by the 2024 Nobel Prizes in Physics and Chemistry, which were awarded for pioneering work that laid the foundation for modern machine learning and the development of an AI model to predict proteins’ complex structures.

Wiley recognizes the importance of this rapidly growing field, and we are thrilled to announce the launch of Advanced Intelligent Discovery, the first gold Open Access journal in the Advanced portfolio dedicated to broad-scope research in machine learning, computational science, and AI. While we await its first publications, explore top AI research selected by our editors in the AI in action virtual issue, featuring work from journals in the Advanced and Small portfolios, including Solar RRL. Additionally, 2024 marked the launch of Advanced Robotics Research, a gold Open Access journal focused on cutting-edge research across the entire spectrum of robotics and embodied AI, further expanding the Advanced Portfolio.

On behalf of the entire editorial team of Solar RRL, we extend our gratitude to all the researchers who chose to publish their work with us in 2024, as well as to the reviewers who dedicated their time and expertise to ensuring the high quality of the publications. Evaluating which articles have had the most scholarly impact is challenging, given the variety of metrics available, including traditional academic measures such as the number of citations and total views, as well as attention garnered through news and social media platforms, which is summarized by the Altmetric score.

This year, we would like to showcase the top three articles based on Full Text Views (Table 1) and Altmetric score (Table 2), encompassing various subjects within photovoltaics and photocatalysis. It is noteworthy that all these articles are Open Access (OA), demonstrating that OA articles consistently achieve higher attention and performance compared to subscription-based articles.

As planned during the EcoMat conference in 2023, this year Solar RRL released a Special Section highlighting work on ‘Perovskite-Based Tandem Solar Cells’, guest-edited by Prof. Hin Lap Yip (City University of Hong Kong, China), Prof. Anita Ho-Baillie (University of Sydney, Australia) and Prof. Dewei Zhao (Sichuan University, China). You can read all the contributions here.

Last year, I represented the journal at several international conferences. A highlight was The Materials for Sustainable Development Conference (MATSUS24), where I connected with researchers in photovoltaics, catalysis, sustainability, and AI in materials science. Additionally, I met Editorial Advisory Board members Prof. Lioz Etgar and Prof. Iván Mora-Seró to discuss the journal's progress and emerging key topics.

I also participated in the 1^st Indoor Photovoltaics Conference (IPVC-1) in Tampere, where academic and industry experts discussed advancements, challenges, and opportunities in harvesting low-intensity artificial light. This meeting emphasized the importance of collaboration among researchers in this emerging field. As a result, we are preparing a special collection on indoor photovoltaics, guest-edited by Prof. Paola Vivo (Tampere University, Finland) and Prof. Francesca Brunetti (University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy). Stay tuned to read the latest research on this topic in a cross-journal special collection featured in Solar RRL, Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research, and Energy Technology.

Building on Solar RRL's collaboration with the European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference & Exhibition (EU PVSEC), I attended EU PVSEC 24 in Vienna. In this year's edition, our sister journal Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research also joined the partnership. The conference's top contributions are featured in a special collection across Solar RRL, Progress in Photovoltaics, and Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research.

This past year has been filled with exciting work published in Solar RRL, along with exciting launches, fruitful collaborations and events. We are now looking forward to welcoming back our Editor-in-Chief, Anna Troeger, from her parental leave. On her behalf, thank you to all our exceptional authors, reviewers, and Editorial Advisory Board members for their continued support. Wishing you a fantastic year ahead, and we look forward to connecting with many of you throughout 2025!

On behalf of the editorial team of Solar RRL,

Maria Ronda Lloret, Deputy Editor