Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Integrating Racking Geometry and Site-specific Design Parameters for Bifacial PV Performance Characterization

Version 1 : Received: 23 November 2023 / Approved: 24 November 2023 / Online: 24 November 2023 (15:56:24 CET)

How to cite: ---, S.A.; Zaman, I.; Dallas, T. Integrating Racking Geometry and Site-specific Design Parameters for Bifacial PV Performance Characterization. Preprints 2023, 2023111614. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202311.1614.v1 ---, S.A.; Zaman, I.; Dallas, T. Integrating Racking Geometry and Site-specific Design Parameters for Bifacial PV Performance Characterization. Preprints 2023, 2023111614. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202311.1614.v1

Abstract

Bifacial PV modules have become the pervasive choice for utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) installations. Understanding bifacial PV performance for commercial deployments is, therefore, critically important. Although there have been studies on the modeling of Bifacial PV performance, to the best of our knowledge, the comprehensive integration of racking and mounting geometry for Bifacial PV performance simulation is yet to be reported. In this work, we modeled the racking and mounting geometry for a field-deployed operational PV array. We then applied optical ray-trace simulation to study the impact of those structures on array performance. The study reveals that the support structures have a considerable impact on the rear surface irradiance and overall bifacial PV performance, amounting to as much as 30% shading in certain situations. The work analyzes the impact of installation parameters such as tilt, height, and row spacing on the bifacial PV array’s performance. Thus, a novel holistic approach to studying the sensitivity of various installation parameters’ impact on bifacial PV array performance, with the racking and mounting structure’s geometry integrated, has been demonstrated through the work. This knowledge and its practice enables site-specific design optimization for utility-scale bifacial solar PV arrays and synergistic PV applications such as agrivoltaics and carports, where maximizing power generation is not necessarily the sole objective.

Keywords

bifacial PV; bifacial radiance; design optimization; optical ray-trace; bifacial performance modeling; radiance; simulation; solar photovoltaic

Subject

Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Comments (0)

We encourage comments and feedback from a broad range of readers. See criteria for comments and our Diversity statement.

Leave a public comment
Send a private comment to the author(s)
* All users must log in before leaving a comment
Views 0
Downloads 0
Comments 0
Metrics 0


×
Alerts
Notify me about updates to this article or when a peer-reviewed version is published.
We use cookies on our website to ensure you get the best experience.
Read more about our cookies here.