Vertical Bifacial Solar Panels as a Candidate for Solar Canal Design

Abstract

A vertical bifacial + reflector configuration is presented as a candidate for solar canal design. Simulations show output to be competitive with fixed 20° tilt systems, with South-facing vertical orientation showing 117% and 87% of annual output of South-facing 20° systems with and without a reflector, respectively. South-facing vertical orientations have better performance in non-summer months relative to other systems, resulting in a flatter seasonal curve, with useful implications for load balancing and energy storage. East- and West-facing vertical orientations outperform their fixed tilt defaults, even without a reflector, and tolerate higher DC/ AC inverter ratios than similar South-facing vertical orientations before appreciable clipping effects are seen.