Modeling, Configuration, and Grid Integration Analysis of Bifacial PV Arrays

This paper develops an incident energy-based model for fixed multi-row bifacial PV systems considering ground albedo and different configuration parameters, including the inclination (tilt) and orientation angles, the height off the ground, and the horizontal distance between PV rows. The various view factors (VFs) involved in the study, sky model, and the angular position of the sun are included in the model. The proposed analytical model is capable of evaluating the solar irradiance reaching each side of a bifacial PV array at any time and location. The impacts of the configuration parameters on the total energy achievable on the front and back surfaces are studied in detail. Finally, simulations are performed on the IEEE 69-bus test network to show how bifacial PVs can help tackle the Duck curve issue caused by conventional mono-facial PVs.

Automated summary

This paper develops an incident energy-based model for fixed multi-row bifacial PV systems considering ground albedo and different configuration parameters, and studies the impacts of these parameters on the total energy achievable on the front and back surfaces.