Abstract
The energy produced by bifacial photovoltaic (PV) arrays can be augmented via albedo enhancements. However, the value of the additional energy must outweigh the costs for such modifications to be economically viable. In this work, the electrical performance and economic value of six 13 kWp crystalline-silicon (c-Si) PV arrays with distinct configurations are evaluated. The system designs include horizontal single axis trackers (HSAT) and 25° fixed-tilt structures, monofacial and bifacial PV panels, and low and high ground albedo. The value of the system designs is assessed using onsite electrical measurements and spot prices from the Nord Pool electricity market. We find that HSAT systems increase the annual value factor (VF) by 4% and decrease levelized cost of energy (LCOE) by 3.5 EUR/MWh relative to fixed-tilt systems. The use of bifacial panels can increase the VF by 1% and decrease LCOE by 4.0 EUR/MWh. However, a negligible VF increase and modest LCOE decrease was found in systems with bifacial panels and ground albedo enhancements. Although our results show that albedo enhancements result in lower LCOE than designs without, the uncertainty in upfront and ongoing costs of altering the ground in utility-scale PV parks makes the solution presently unadvisable.
Highlights
Recent years have shown a steady increase in bifacial photovoltaic (PV) installations because the light that impinges on the backside of a bifacial PV array can be converted into useable photocurrent
Little difference is observed in fixed tilt (FT) versus horizontal single axis trackers (HSAT) production on cloudy days when 100% of the solar irradiance comes from diffuse light
It was found that the tracker gain using monofacial panels is 12.8%, the bifacial energy gain on grass is 10.5% using trackers and is 7.2% using FT systems, and the bifacial boost from using a polymeric white tarp below the tracker is 2.8%
Summary
Recent years have shown a steady increase in bifacial photovoltaic (PV) installations because the light that impinges on the backside of a bifacial PV array can be converted into useable photocurrent. The rear side of bifacial PV cells is only partially covered with metallisation [1]. When such bifacial cells are assembled into a module with a transparent rear cover (such as glass or a transparent back sheet) there is potential for considerable energy gains compared to monofacial (single-sided) modules that are deployed in the same conditions. Bifacial PV has potential to reach the lowest levelised cost of energy (LCOE) of any commercially available PV technology because such bifacial energy gains are achievable using the same land area that is used for monofacial PV designs while maintaining comparable upfront costs [9, 10]. A study by Rodriguez-Gallegos et al [11] assessed the economics of different PV designs and found that bifacial PV on single-axis trackers achieves the lowest LCOE for >90% of the world's land area
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