EES Solar: one year on

One year ago, EES Solar was launched to create a dedicated home for outstanding research in solar energy. As part of the EES Family and companion journal to Energy & Environmental Science, the journal was founded to combine high scientific standards with a clear focus on technologies, concepts and systems that can shape the future of solar energy. One year on, it is a good moment to reflect on what has been achieved and where we are heading.

Over its first year, EES Solar has developed a clear identity and a clear set of values. The journal stands for excellence, depth and quality while remaining open to new ideas and emerging directions. The work published so far reflects how progress in solar research happens today. Advances in materials and devices remain central, but they are increasingly linked to questions of sustainability, scalability and real-world impact.

We have published research spanning established and emerging photovoltaic technologies, from established to novel material systems. Many contributions have also taken a broader view, addressing environmental impacts, material choice, degradation, leaching, substitution of toxic or critical elements and challenges related to upscaling and manufacturing. We have welcomed system level and policy-oriented perspectives, including work on specific use cases for solar and broader considerations of global energy consumption and deployment. EES Solar has also showcased pioneering research across solar fuels, photocatalysis and photothermal conversion, reflecting the breadth and depth of innovation in solar energy science.

Another strong theme has been the growing role of data driven approaches. Machine learning, high-throughput methods, databases and benchmarking are becoming essential tools for accelerating discovery and improving comparability. EES Solar supports work that advances transparency, reproducibility, data quality and shared standards as we see this as an important direction going forward.

At the heart of EES Solar is a sincere and rigorous peer review process. Our aim is to provide expert feedback that is fair, constructive and timely, improving manuscripts and serving the community. The strong engagement from authors, reviewers and readers, together with the quality of the published work, gives us confidence in our approach.

We are working hard to further establish EES Solar as a premier platform for solar energy research. This progress would not be possible without an exceptional editorial team. I am very grateful to our Associate Editors for their judgment and commitment. Their expertise strengthens the journal across materials, devices, systems, data driven research and sustainability.

As we move into our second year, EES Solar will continue to evolve with the field it serves. We remain committed to publishing outstanding research, welcoming a diverse international community and providing a forum for meaningful scientific exchange. Our goal is for EES Solar to be a place where the solar community brings its best work and helps shape the future of solar energy.

---