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A New Model for Estimation of Energy Extraction from Bifacial Photovoltaic Modules

Sahu, Preeti Kumari; Roy, J. N.; Chakraborty, Chandan; Sundaram, Senthilarasu

Authors

Preeti Kumari Sahu

J. N. Roy

Chandan Chakraborty



Abstract

The energy yield from bifacial solar photovoltaic (PV) systems can be enhanced by optimizing the tilt angle. Bifacial modules boost the energy yield by 4% to 15% depending on the module type and ground reflectivity with an average of 9%. The selection of tilt angle depends on several factors, including the geographical location, weather variation, etc. Compared to the variable tilt angle, a constant angle is preferred from the point of view of the cost of installation and the cost of maintenance. This paper proposes a new method for analysing bifacial modules. A simpler rear-side irradiance model is presented to estimate the energy yield of a bifacial solar photovoltaic module. The detailed analysis also explores the optimum tilt angle for the inclined south–north orientation to obtain the maximum possible yield from the module. Taking four regions into account, i.e., Kharagpur, Ahmedabad, Delhi, and Thiruvananthapuram, in the Indian climate, we studied several cases. The Kharagpur system showed a monthly rear irradiance gain of 13%, and the Delhi climate showed an average performance ratio of 19.5%. We studied the impact of albedo and GCR on the tilt angle. Finally, the estimated model was validated with the PVSyst version 6.7.6 as well as real field test measurements taken from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) located in the USA.

Citation

Sahu, P. K., Roy, J. N., Chakraborty, C., & Sundaram, S. (2021). A New Model for Estimation of Energy Extraction from Bifacial Photovoltaic Modules. Energies, 14(16), Article 5089. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14165089

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Aug 10, 2021
Online Publication Date Aug 18, 2021
Publication Date 2021
Deposit Date Jan 31, 2022
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Energies
Publisher MDPI
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 14
Issue 16
Article Number 5089
DOI https://doi.org/10.3390/en14165089
Keywords bifacial PV module; irradiance modelling; spherical solar coordinate geometry
Public URL http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2839965

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