Power Performance of Bifacial c-Si PV Modules with Different Shading Ratios

Abstract

Unlike conventional photovoltaic (PV) modules that generate power by absorbing light through the front side only, a bifacial PV module can generate power by absorbing light through the rear as well as the front, which would lead to an enhancement of power generation. Particularly, bifacial PV modules would have the advantage of lower power loss in shaded environments than monofacial PV modules, thanks to the light absorbed through the rear side. To predict the power of a bifacial PV module in a shaded environment, modeling is suggested by considering the shaded areas, the operational status of the bypass diodes, and the temperature of the bifacial PV module. To verify the power prediction of a bifacial PV module with a shaded area, modeled and measured powers are compared, showing error rates of 7.28%. From the results of the power loss experiments for bifacial and monofacial PV modules in shaded environments, it is confirmed that the bifacial PV module shows a relatively low power loss rate when compared with the monofacial PV module, with a power loss rate being 87.26% of the rate for the monofacial PV module.