non conventionl energy

<solar would be the best and also would def look into solar water heaters>

These are old hat.

We were told --' a Ph.D is awarded to somebody pushing the frontiers of knowledge'

Do you want to push?:

1. Getting 25+% η in solar to Electric conversion and storing for domestic use @ 85%η for use over 2-3 hazy days.
2. 60% Efficiency from Solar Cells ? ? From Toys to High Tech? Too good to be true? --This was reported by our Dear Stirling Stan in CR4
3. Or implement the lightest solar powered Summer fun Yacht--

Mukul is absolutely right. You can go that way, but it is not easy. Building something, anything is not complicated at all. But getting good efficiency out of them is a real bear of an effort. Doing phd is getting something new, not something worthwhile. So, if I say that an Indium trisulphide (never mind the details) layer applied to a window glass will produce useable current, and cheaply.!?! At that point your phd is as good as guaranteed.

Never mind, if that discovery is useable or anything.

That comes much later in the engineering phase. This particular and specific game is played since 1950s and no window generators resulted from it yet.