Bifacial power generation efficiency of photovoltaic panels

A quantitative model-based analysis was conducted to estimate the percentage output energy ratio of bifacial photovoltaic (PV) modules compared to monofacial ones of equal area operating under the same conditions. The operating conditions involve latitude position, albedo, season, and PV bifaciality.

Bifacial solar panels are solar modules capable of generating electricity from both the front and the back. They utilize bifacial solar cells, with the back typically encapsulated in transparent materials (such as glass or transparent back sheets).

It has been reported in the literature that the use of bifacial panels can improve the energy yield of power plants by 25–30% . Due to their promising efficiency, bifacial panels have been widely deployed in a variety of applications, such as green roofs, agriculture and highways [2 – 6].

Bifacial solar panels demonstrate clear advantages in power generation, adaptability to installation environments, and land utilization efficiency, especially in high-reflectivity environments where they can significantly enhance energy generation. However, initial investment and structural complexity are factors to consider.

Bifacial PV panels, on the other hand, present a unique advantage. They are capable of producing an additional 10–15% of electrical energy by harnessing reflected light from the ground , This capability is particularly pronounced when the albedo is high due to snow cover.

For example, under Standard Testing Conditions (STC), if the test power of the back of a bifacial photovoltaic module is 350 watts and the test power of the front is 500 watts, the calculation for bifaciality would be 350/500 = 70%. This means that the back contributes 70% of the power generation capability compared to the front.