Enhancing Fairness and Efficiency in PV Energy Curtailment: The Role of East–West-Facing Bifacial Installations in Radial Distribution Networks

Francis Maina Itote (), Ryuto Shigenobu, Akiko Takahashi, Masakazu Ito and Ghjuvan Antone Faggianelli ()
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Francis Maina Itote: Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-8507, Japan
Ryuto Shigenobu: Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-8507, Japan
Akiko Takahashi: Faculty of Basic and Generic Researches, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-8507, Japan
Masakazu Ito: Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-8507, Japan
Ghjuvan Antone Faggianelli: Science for Environment Laboratory, CNRS UMR SPE 6134, University of Corsica, 20000 Ajaccio, France

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 10, 1-20

Abstract: Electricity market reforms and decreasing technology costs have propelled residential solar PV growth leading distribution network operators to face operational challenges including reverse power flows and voltage regulation during peak solar generation. Traditional mono-facial south-facing PV systems concentrate production at midday when demand may be low, leading to high curtailment, especially for downstream households. This study proposes vertically installed east–west-facing bifacial PV systems (BiE and BiW), characterized by two energy peaks (morning and evening), which are better aligned with residential demand and alleviate grid constraints. Using load flow simulations, the performance of vertical bifacial configurations was compared against mono-facial systems across PV capacities from 1 to 20 kW. Fairness in curtailment was evaluated at 10 kW using Jain’s fairness index, the Gini index, and the Curtailment index. Simulation results show that BiE and BiW installations, especially at higher capacities, not only generate more energy but also are better at managing curtailment. At 10 kW, BiE and BiW increased bid energies by 815 kWh and 787 kWh, and reduced curtailed energy by 1566 kWh and 1499 kWh, respectively. These findings highlight the potential of bifacial PV installations in mitigating curtailment and improving fairness in energy distribution, supporting the demand for residential PV systems.

Keywords: bifacial PV systems; distribution network operators; curtailment; fairness; energy markets (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: 2025
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