Modeling and analysis of a bifacial grid-connected photovoltaic system

This paper evaluates the performance of a 1 kW bifacial grid-connected PV system. The array is mounted vertically facing west on a building roof for the purpose of generating power during the late afternoon hours, thus assisting with peak load demand. Simulated solar irradiance received by both sides of the array and power production are compared to measured values. The need for better models to estimate diffuse and reflected radiation for bifacial PV studies is addressed. The impact of shading caused by module frame design on the daily array power generation curve is analyzed.