The generation of energy required to meet the increasing global demand should not compromise the environment and the future of the planet; therefore renewable energies have been identified as potential alternatives to fossil fuels, which are associated with CO₂ emissions. Subsequently solar energy is seen as the most versatile and the largest source of heat and electricity for the future globally. However, as solar is an intermittent source and has variable outputs, energy storage technologies are required in order to facilitate the heat and electricity demands from solar energy and to ensure that the supply matches these demand. Most importantly, the high-efficiency utilization of solar energy necessitates considerable advancement in energy storage technologies and materials to overcome its intermittent nature.

There is emerging interdisciplinary research on energy storage technologies and materials for photovoltaic, photothermal, electrical, and thermal energies, which contributes to increasing the continuity and stability of the solar energy utilization system in order to enhance the comprehensive solar energy efficiency.

This special issue aims to collect high-quality original research and review papers in the field of energy conversion and conservation, including electrical and thermal storage, to increase the visibility of the novel materials, new methods and theories, and innovative aspects in practical applications for further improving the rapid development and utilization of solar energy.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Thermal energy storage technologies for photothermal utilization
• Novel phase change materials (PCMs) for solar energy
• Electrical energy storage technologies for photovoltaic utilization
• Battery materials and battery modules in the photovoltaic system
• Equipping photovoltaic systems with energy storage systems
• Equipping photothermal systems with energy storage systems
• Energy storage technologies for photovoltaic/thermal hybrid system