Bifacial PV research collaboration with NPL

02 Jul 2020

Reducing bifacial gain uncertainties and increasing confidence in energy yield forecasting of BFPV systems

As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic we have the opportunity to develop a more sustainable, resilient and green economy. The expansion of solar PV can accelerate our progression towards the UK’s net zero target.

RINA Tech UK has kicked-off an Innovate UK funded bifacial photovoltaics (BFPV) research collaboration with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the leading metrology laboratory in the United Kingdom. RINA has extensive expertise in PV energy yield modelling including over 6GWp of BFPV at sites around the world and through this project we will enhance our energy yield modelling expertise for BFPV systems.

Our preliminary collaborative work with NPL in 2019 indicated reductions of up to ¢50/MWh in modelled P50 LCOE by using a new methodology where the effective albedo values are calculated for a site. The effective albedo takes into account the spectral profile of local albedo and the spectral response of the PV modules of the PV system under consideration. Such calculations reduce bifacial gain uncertainties and increase confidence in energy yield forecasting of BFPV systems.

This year’s project refines and extends this work, by using on-site measurement datasets to compare albedo measurement methods. Such a comparison will enable RINA to advise developers on the most accurate methods to measure albedo on a proposed site, which will result in accurate performance ratio calculations for BFPV systems. In addition, accurate effective albedo calculation methodologies will lead to improved standards and available datasets, increasing the confidence and bankability of bifacial technology, which is forecasted to be the dominant PV module technology for utility scale PV systems in the future.