Performance assessment of bifacial c-Si PV modules through device simulations and outdoor measurements
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2021-05-23
Type
ArticleAuthors
Katsaounis, Th.Kotsovos, K.
Gereige, Issam
Basaheeh, A.
Abdullah, Madinah Aaliyah
Khayat, A.
Al-Habshi, E.
Al-Saggaf, A.
Tzavaras, Athanasios

KAUST Department
Computer Electrical and Mathematical Science & Engineering (CEMSE), KAUST, Thuwal, Saudi Arabiarenewable Energy, Carbon Management Division, Saudi Aramco, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
KAUST Solar Center (KSC)
Bioscience Program
Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering (CEMSE) Division
Applied Mathematics and Computational Science Program
Date
2019-05-23Online Publication Date
2019-05-23Print Publication Date
2019-12Embargo End Date
2021-05-23Permanent link to this record
http://hdl.handle.net/10754/656300
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Show full item recordAbstract
Bifacial solar cells are receiving increased attention in the PV market due to their higher energy yield compared to conventional monofacial modules thanks to additional light conversion through their back surface. This additional rear side energy gain creates a potential for significant reduction of the overall levelized cost of energy (LCOE). Despite this fact, wide deployment of bifacial PV modules is very limited because of the high unpredictability of their power output due to various factors such as ground reflectance, module elevation angle, orientation and tilt angle. Due to this complexity, modelling of bifacial modules and systems is currently not developed at the same level of maturity as monofacial ones, where established commercial tools have been developed for PV system designers. In this regard, a customized 2D device model has been developed to simulate bifacial PV structures based on the numerical solution of the transport equations by the finite element method. The model was used to simulate actual PV performance and energy yield based on measured outdoor environmental parameters including solar radiation spectrum and temperature. Bifacial device output was also compared with a monofacial one based on the industrial standard Al-BSF structure. Simulated results were also compared and validated with outdoor experimental data based on IV measurements of monofacial and bifacial modules installed at various tilt angles at a location near the Western coast of Saudi Arabia.Citation
Katsaounis, T., Kotsovos, K., Gereige, I., Basaheeh, A., Abdullah, M., Khayat, A., … Tzavaras, A. E. (2019). Performance assessment of bifacial c-Si PV modules through device simulations and outdoor measurements. Renewable Energy, 143, 1285–1298. doi:10.1016/j.renene.2019.05.057Sponsors
The authors acknowledge the support of the Supercomputing Laboratory at King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST) in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia; the KAUST Economic development for their technical support and Saudi Aramco R&D Center - Carbon Management Division for their financial support in developing this work. This work was partially supported by grant supported RGC#3893 from Saudi Aramco.Publisher
Elsevier BVJournal
Renewable EnergyAdditional Links
https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0960148119307177ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1016/j.renene.2019.05.057