Energy performance evaluation of bifacial solar photovoltaic modules in Hong Kong

Abstract

Despite the proven benefits of solar bifacial photovoltaic (BPV) over monofacial PV (MPV) systems, the feasibility of the technology in subtropical climate regions has not been evaluated. Thus, this study provides a comprehensive energy performance evaluation of BPV in Hong Kong using numerical simulation and on-site experimental validation. Three types of solar PV modules, i.e. monofacial PV, framed BPV and frameless BPV, are studied experimentally under different tilt angles, mounting heights and slope orientations. The obtained field measurements and simulation results show that the average bifacial gain (BG) of a BPV system can reach 7.9% and 11.6% when facing south, and up to 167% when facing east. Furthermore, it was observed that an increase in tilt angle also influences the BG performance, and the annual electricity yield can be maximised by increasing the ground albedo through white painting on the roof surface. Finally, the obtained results in this study validate previous studies’ assertion that BPV is a viable option over MPV and provides a starting point for the adoption of BPV in subtropical climate regions, especially in Hong Kong.