Context:

Bifacial photovoltaic solar panels can generate more energy than monofacial ones since, in the case of the former, both sides of the panel are available to capture the solar irradiance and transform it into electrical energy. The additional power that can be generated by bifacial panels depends, among other factors, on the nature and the type of the reflective surface, as well as on the orientation of the photovoltaic module.

Method:

In this work, several reflective surfaces are evaluated in order to determine the optimal configuration of a bifacial panel. To this effect, and based on the response surface methodology, the characteristic curves of the photovoltaic panel (current-voltage) for different elevation levels with respect to four reflective surfaces are experimentally represented.

Results:

The results of this study reveal that, by installing a bifacial panel on reflective mirror surfaces at an elevation of 98,66% of the panel width, a 6,6% increase in the electrical energy generation is achieved in comparison with monofacial photovoltaic modules.

Conclusions:

Through the applied methodology, the mirror surface was identified to be the best among the four surfaces evaluated for the use of reflected radiation, followed by concrete, water, and soil.

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