This study critically reviewed all four generations of photovoltaic (PV) solar cells, focusing on fundamental concepts, material used, performance, operational principles, and cooling systems, along with their respective advantages and disadvantages. The manuscript analyzes various materials. . NLR conducts research on solar technologies, their performance characteristics, and integration into energy systems. We work toward finding solutions for today's solar R&D challenges, which include: Making solar an even better investment through work on bankability, reliability, and critical. . Photovoltaics is a fast-growing market: The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of cumulative PV installations was about 27% between the years 2014 and 2024. Keeping the same number of cells, larger PV module sizes are realized, allowing a power range of up to 750 W per module.