Hi,
There is much work in this field being done at the National Renewable Energy Labratory (NREL) in Colorado. Materials are researched for all aspects of collecting and converting the sun's energy. Check it out at:
http://www.nrel.gov/energ...mical_materials.html For instance, researching coatings to use on the glass for photovoltaic (PV) modules is a very hot field right now. We need to absorb as much of the sun's energy as possible, while making sure that we protect the cells inside, and since PV modules can last 30 or 40 years, we need these coatings to last that long too.
This is just one example, but there are so many more! Materials is a very hot field with a great future. I highly recommend that you pay close attention in chemistry - I didn't and had to take several classes in college to make up for it!
Sunny day!
Kelly