The Effects of Module Temperature on the Energy Yield of Bifacial Photovoltaics: Data and Model

Marco Leonardi, Roberto Corso, Rachela G. Milazzo, Carmelo Connelli, Marina Foti, Cosimo Gerardi, Fabrizio Bizzarri, Stefania M. S. Privitera and Salvatore A. Lombardo
Additional contact information
Marco Leonardi: Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems (IMM), National Research Council (CNR), Strada VIII, 5, 95121 Catania, Italy
Roberto Corso: Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems (IMM), National Research Council (CNR), Strada VIII, 5, 95121 Catania, Italy
Rachela G. Milazzo: Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems (IMM), National Research Council (CNR), Strada VIII, 5, 95121 Catania, Italy
Carmelo Connelli: Enel Green Power, Contrada Blocco Torrazze, Zona Industriale, 95121 Catania, Italy
Marina Foti: Enel Green Power, Contrada Blocco Torrazze, Zona Industriale, 95121 Catania, Italy
Cosimo Gerardi: Enel Green Power, Contrada Blocco Torrazze, Zona Industriale, 95121 Catania, Italy
Fabrizio Bizzarri: Enel Green Power, Viale Regina Margherita 125, 00198 Rome, Italy
Stefania M. S. Privitera: Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems (IMM), National Research Council (CNR), Strada VIII, 5, 95121 Catania, Italy
Salvatore A. Lombardo: Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems (IMM), National Research Council (CNR), Strada VIII, 5, 95121 Catania, Italy

Energies, 2021, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Bifacial photovoltaics (BPVs) are emerging with large momentum as promising solutions to improve energy yield and cost of PV systems. To reach its full potential, an accurate understanding of the physical characteristics of BPV technology is required. For this reason, we collected experimental data to refine a physical model of BPV. In particular, we simultaneously measured the module temperature, short circuit current (I sc ), open-circuit voltage (V oc ), power at the maximum power point (P mpp ), and the energy yield of a bifacial and a monofacial minimodule. Such minimodules, realised with the same geometry, cell technology, and module lamination, were tested under the same clear sky outdoor conditions, from morning to afternoon, for three days. The bifacial system experimentally shows higher module temperatures under operation, about 10 °C on a daily average of about 40 °C. Nevertheless, its energy yield is about 15% larger than the monofacial one. We propose a physical quantitative model that fits the experimental data of module temperature, I sc , V oc , P mpp, and energy yield. The model was then applied to predict the annual energy yield of PV module strings. The effect of different PV module temperature coefficients on the energy yield is also discussed.

Keywords: bifacial PV modelling; temperature effect; NOCT model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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