Optimization and performance of bifacial solar modules: A global perspective

Sun, Xingshu; Khan, Mohammad Ryyan; Deline, Chris; Alam, Muhammad Ashraful

doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.12.041

Optimization and performance of bifacial solar modules: A global perspective

Journal Article · Mon Feb 05 23:00:00 EST 2018 · Applied Energy

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.12.041· OSTI ID:1423188

^[1]; Khan, Mohammad Ryyan ^[1]; ^[2]; Alam, Muhammad Ashraful ^[1]

Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States)
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

With the rapidly growing interest in bifacial photovoltaics (PV), a worldwide map of their potential performance can help assess and accelerate the global deployment of this emerging technology. However, the existing literature only highlights optimized bifacial PV for a few geographic locations or develops worldwide performance maps for very specific configurations, such as the vertical installation. It is still difficult to translate these location- and configuration-specific conclusions to a general optimized performance of this technology. In this paper, we present a global study and optimization of bifacial solar modules using a rigorous and comprehensive modeling framework. Our results demonstrate that with a low albedo of 0.25, the bifacial gain of ground-mounted bifacial modules is less than 10% worldwide. However, increasing the albedo to 0.5 and elevating modules 1 m above the ground can boost the bifacial gain to 30%. Moreover, we derive a set of empirical design rules, which optimize bifacial solar modules across the world and provide the groundwork for rapid assessment of the location-specific performance. We find that ground-mounted, vertical, east-west-facing bifacial modules will outperform their south-north-facing, optimally tilted counterparts by up to 15% below the latitude of 30 degrees, for an albedo of 0.5. The relative energy output is reversed in latitudes above 30 degrees. A detailed and systematic comparison with data from Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America validates the model presented in this paper.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Solar Energy Technologies Office (EE-4S); National Science Foundation (NSF)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1423188

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA--5J00-70091

Journal Information:: Applied Energy, Journal Name: Applied Energy Journal Issue: C Vol. 212; ISSN 0306-2619

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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