Experimental Evaluation of the Performance: A Novel Bi-Facial PV Panel

Replacement of emission based energy production sources is vital due to the climate change effects in the world. One of the alternatives in this regard is the solar-powered PV cells. This work proposes a novel PV panel design using two mono-facial panels installed back to back to improve power efficiency at reduced space usage. A study was made with an outdoor setup during the winter season for three months, having a single-axis sun-tracking. The findings of this design suggest that the proposed panel gives 22% more power efficiency compared to the mono-facial panel of same dimension. The design was found less expensive compared to conventional bi-facial PV panels. The boost in the power efficiency of the proposed panel design is attributed to the thermal behaviour of the panel, low air pressure-humidity and surface albedo. The findings suggest white concrete surface gives optimal surface albedo for rooftop PV installation.

I. Introduction

Photovoltaic (PV) is one of the most efficient renewable alternatives to emission based energy. The number of large-scale PV plants and rooftop solar home systems has increased in the last decade. Bi-facial PV panels generate electricity from the front and rear surfaces of the panel. Naturally, they produce more energy than mono- facials [1], [2]. PV plants and rooftop areas with high albedo surfaces use bi - facial. The use of mono- facial panels is high when surface albedo is very poor [3]. Bi-facial is more expensive than mono-facial PV panels. It requires a transparent backsheet (glass) on the rear surface. The backsheet needs to be of high quality to withstand harsh weather and environmental conditions [4]. This increases production costs and specialized mounting systems also increase overall installation costs [5].