I do not think that there is a practical need to look beyond existing silicon technology if all you want to do is generate electricity. Bemoaning the efficiency - or lack of - of a solar PV system is misleading as the fuel source is free. Only the amortised capital cost of the panel over its lifetime affects the cost of the electricity produced, and silicon is now cheap enough for most purposes. If there are other constraints such as weight (as on a spacecraft) efficiency becomes very important of course; but on a ground installation the weight of the array is not a major factor. So as long as effective storage is available any modern solar PV system will work well in remote locations.

I presume, with "nano-photovoltaic panels" you mean approaches such as polymer photovoltaics and perovskites. It seems we experience a Moore's law type of development with both, classical PV and organic/perovskite PV at the moment. Silicon based PV clearly becomes economically viable and combined with affordable storage (as offered by Tesla for example) or renewable fuel generation, it will be a solution for remote regions very soon. Whether other PV options will be competitive has to be seen, but I have my doubts. In the end, economics always win.

I do not think that there is a practical need to look beyond existing silicon technology if all you want to do is generate electricity. Bemoaning the efficiency - or lack of - of a solar PV system is misleading as the fuel source is free. Only the amortised capital cost of the panel over its lifetime affects the cost of the electricity produced, and silicon is now cheap enough for most purposes. If there are other constraints such as weight (as on a spacecraft) efficiency becomes very important of course; but on a ground installation the weight of the array is not a major factor. So as long as effective storage is available any modern solar PV system will work well in remote locations.

The experience and the latest findings in energy field teach us that, of course, the solutions of energy supply must be of the smart grid.

Photovoltaic technology in particular is now declined in a multiplicity of facets to obtain a maximization and efficiency gains. The possibility of panels made with a nanotechnology is certainly very interesting. Its effectiveness and prices can be upgraded considering a lot of other improving conclusions and findings about it: from the panels from plant waste; those from polymers; those obtainable on thin paper layers; yet there are ideas about highways built with photovoltaic systems, according to the American project which cost a lot in terms of cross-cutting assessments - as the study for the tire grip to a road surface in photovoltaics; the panels of the size of a leaf, true chemical plants of hydrogen; panels in graphene, really cheap; variations on typical geometry from flat in cubic and finally to conical. The benefit of living in a country that has good exposure to the sun, definetely makes significant that technology in terms of economicity and performances of supply of electricity.

Dear Manuel Alberto M. Ferreira,

Thank you very much for your appreciation. 

Dear Manuel, as to me the answer depends on the location of  the remote desert, the level of the irradiation resource and the life style of the community. If you come to African remote areas, you can find many nomadic community wandering from place to place for feeding their cattle. You can imagine how important for them the technology you mentioned for its easiness and less weight as it can be carried on camels along with other their items. Nature always make a balance, as in these area solar irradiation is abundant and can compensate the high price of the nano PV panel. I hope the price will decline in the future and is best solution for stand alone systems in remote areas where ever the location and development of that particular country is. I agree we should appreciate technology though economics should be optimized. As the other more flexible nano scale pv cell (solar paint) is coming which can generate electricity even in a cloudy days (as it also takes invisible infra red) and can be painted literally on any thing in our surrounding (cars, ships, clothes, buildings, air crafts, roofs etc) and so this will definitely be the best solution not only for these areas but the energy crisis of the world (though I am not sure about the sustainability of the raw material it is made)

PV is by itself is a nano phenomenon: I am afraid a supper nano phenomenon is a product of pure imagination. -K Vijayachandran

I think any type of photovoltaic is suitable in desert areas, particularly the cheaper panels, currently produced by the Chinese; because for people in deserts or areas adjacent to deserts they lack resources and fuels, even with good planning and financial support, they can fed their national grid with electricity, and export to Europe.