INFLUENCE OF ALBEDO ON THE PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF BIFACIAL PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS

CADE STUDY OF A PILOT PLAT IN FLORIANÓPOLIS-SC

Abstract

Despite advances in the installed capacity of solar energy, the performance analysis of bifacial modules is crucial to maximize the energy production of this source. In this article, a detailed study of performance metrics is conducted in a pilot photovoltaic plant with state-of-the-art bifacial modules, considering different soils and albedos. The methodologies applied in the study involve the correction of the performance ratio (PR) for bifacial modules, considering the incident irradiation on the back of the modules and temperature. The analysis reveals the importance of temperature-corrected bifacial PR in assessing other system losses, enabling the identification of faults and other factors causing underperformance. By integrating albedo into the PR analysis, the bifacial gain present in the conventional PR calculation is eliminated, allowing for a more accurate analysis of system losses. However, the seasonal effect is still noticeable in the graphs, indicating the influence of temperatures, which in the Brazilian context almost always represent the greatest loss. The correction of temperature-corrected bifacial PR eliminates this effect, allowing the isolation and better evaluation of the other system losses. A difference of up to 2.3% was observed between conventional PR values, with an increase in the difference accompanying the increase in albedo under the system, showing that the differences occur mainly due to bifacial gain. Bifacial PR, on the other hand, already has very coincident values, with a maximum difference between systems of 0.7%, indicating adequate compensation for bifacial gain for different albedo levels. Temperature-corrected bifacial PR shows a maximum difference of 0.8%, slightly above bifacial PR, suggesting that differences in temperature losses between systems are quite similar and minimally impacted by soil albedo.