Bifacial solar panels generally perform better than traditional (monofacial) solar panels in low-light conditions due to their ability to capture light from both sides. Here’s how they compare:
Key Differences in Performance
- Bifacial Panels: These panels feature solar cells on the front and rear sides, allowing them to capture both direct and reflected sunlight. This design enhances their performance in low-light conditions by utilizing diffused and reflected light, which is often lost with monofacial panels. In optimal settings, bifacial panels can produce 5-30% more energy than traditional panels. In low-light conditions, bifacial panels can perform about 15% better than monofacial panels.
- Traditional (Monofacial) Panels: Monofacial panels have solar cells only on the front side, making them less effective in capturing diffused or reflected light. They work best when positioned to receive direct sunlight during peak hours and may not optimize energy production in cloudy or overcast conditions.
Advantages of Bifacial Panels
- Better Low-Light Performance: By capturing light from multiple angles, bifacial panels can generate more electricity in cloudy or shaded environments compared to traditional panels.
- Increased Energy Output: Their ability to utilize both direct and reflected sunlight can increase overall energy production, especially when placed on reflective surfaces like snow or sand.
- Durability: Many bifacial panels feature double-glass construction, which enhances their durability and often leads to longer warranties.
Exceptional Cases
While bifacial panels generally perform better in low-light conditions, there are some cases where other types of panels might outperform them. For instance, a study comparing IBC full black modules with bifacial glass-glass modules found that the IBC modules provided approximately 20% higher electricity production in specific low-light conditions. This highlights that not all bifacial panels excel equally in low-light scenarios, depending on other factors like module design and testing conditions.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/how-do-bifacial-panels-perform-in-low-light-conditions-compared-to-traditional-panels/
