The albedo effect plays a crucial role in enhancing the efficiency of bifacial solar panels by increasing the amount of reflected sunlight that reaches the rear side of the panels. Bifacial panels generate electricity not only from direct sunlight on their front surface but also from indirect light reflected off the ground or surrounding surfaces onto their rear side. The albedo value refers to the reflectivity of these surfaces, expressed as a fraction or percentage, indicating how much incoming radiation is reflected rather than absorbed.
Surfaces with high albedo, such as snow, sand, light-colored rooftops, or specially designed reflective ground materials, reflect more sunlight back onto the rear side of bifacial panels. This reflected light boosts the overall energy captured by the panels, improving their total energy yield compared to traditional single-sided panels. For example, research has shown that using high-albedo ground reflectors can increase the energy yield of bifacial solar plants by up to 4.5%.
The effectiveness of bifacial panels depends significantly on the local environment’s albedo. Areas with naturally high reflectivity (e.g., snowy regions) can greatly enhance the rear-side energy generation. Conversely, locations with low reflectivity surfaces such as dark soil or asphalt produce less reflected light, reducing the potential gains from the rear side of bifacial panels. Thus, site selection and installation strategies that maximize exposure to reflected light are critical to fully utilize the albedo effect and enhance bifacial solar panel efficiency.
In summary, the albedo effect increases bifacial panel efficiency by providing additional reflected sunlight to the panel’s rear side, directly boosting energy output depending on the reflectivity of the surrounding surfaces.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/what-role-does-the-albedo-effect-play-in-the-efficiency-of-bifacial-panels/
