A Study on the Effect of Mounting Parameters on the Performance of Bifacial Solar Modules
Abstract
Bifacial Photovoltaic (bPV) is a technology that is fast gaining traction and has the
potential to enhance overall electricity generation. Unlike conventional modules, bPV can
capture the sun's rays and convert them into useful electricity from both the front and back
of the module. Due to this, they have attracted attention in recent years. On the flip side,
there hasn't been a lot of research carried out on these kinds of modules, particularly in
developing countries like Kenya which are located in equatorial zones. The optimal
elevation from the ground and tilt angle to install these modules vary from place to place.
There haven't been many in-depth studies done on the cited area in the equatorial region,
which is where the sun is directly overhead all year. This research fills that gap by giving
a detailed look at how well bifacial modules work in equatorial zones. The main aim of
this research was to see how varying the elevation above the default ground level and the
angle of inclination affected the performance of bifacial solar modules. The study also
looked at how different backgrounds affect how well a bifacial solar module works. Two
solar modules were mounted back-to-back to form a double-sided solar module (bifacial
solar cell configuration), with one facing the sky (front side) and the other facing the ground
(back side). The module performance was examined at various elevations above the ground
level and at different inclination angles by measuring parameters like solar irradiance,
modules’ temperature, current, and voltage both on the front and the back of the module.
An HT304N reference cell was used to measure the amount of solar irradiance, and an HT
instrument PT300N temperature sensor was used to measure the temperature of the
module. Using an HT current-voltage (I-V) solar analyzer, the module's current and voltage
were measured. At the optimized elevation and angle, the influence of different reflective
backgrounds on the performance of the module was investigated using Metallized
polyethylene terephthalate, MPET, iron sheet, and Mylar windshield sunshade as
reflectors. Data was collected every day between 10.0 am and 3.0 pm. East African Time
zone, EAT at an interval of 30 minutes for 2 months and 15 days between January and
March. Data analysis and visualization were done using Python and Origin software. The
findings revealed that the optimal installation elevation for bifacial modules within the
equatorial zone will be 1.2 m with reference to ground level and at a tilt angle of
approximately 30 degrees with north orientation. A direct proportionality relationship
between power output and solar irradiance was also noted. The maximum power output for
the module's front side was 53.87 W at a solar irradiance of 1060.00 W/m2, while the
minimum power output was 34.30 W at a solar irradiance of 718.00 W/m2. The highest
power output for the module's backside was 4.82 W at a solar irradiance of 94.00 W/m2...
As the tilt angle increased, solar irradiance generally decreased on both sides of the module.
It was determined that the front side received a maximum of 1060.00 W/m2 of irradiance
(at a tilt angle of 30º) and a minimum of 110.00 W/m2 (at a tilt angle of 90º). The maximum
irradiance was 88.00 W/m2 at 30º and the lowest irradiance was 62.00 W/m2 at 90º for the
module's backside. The short circuit and maximum current were found to increase as solar
irradiance increased, with a coefficient of determination, R2 of about 0.97 for the front side
of the module and about 0.92 for the backside. The findings additionally validated that the
utilization of reflective backgrounds significantly enhances the power generation of
bifacial solar panels. Metalized polyethylene terephthalate, MPET reflectors produced the
most irradiance of the tested three reflector samples, followed by the Mylar sunshade and
iron sheet. MPET increased irradiance by 84.62%, Mylar by 77.21%, and iron sheets by
22.95%. It was concluded that an elevation of 1.2 m above ground level and a tilt angle of
30º would be appropriate for bifacial module installation in equatorial zones. Moreover,
due to its high reflectivity, the MPET reflector was recommended for usage as a reflecting
surface.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
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