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Renewable sources are getting more popular as they are the only hope for human beings. We have seen a drastic change in solar panel technology over the few years.
Advanced solar technology is bringing up innovations every single day. Today we will talk about bifacial solar modules.
This blog will give you brief information about bifacial solar modules and how do they work!
What are Bifacial Solar Modules?
There are two types of solar panels or we can say solar modules, present in the market, mono-facial and bifacial.
Mono-facial solar modules are the most common type, as most people are using the mono-facial solar modules.
When the sunlight hits the surface of the mono-facial solar modules, it starts generating electricity and that’s how it works.
On the other hand, these Solar Modules come with multiple resources to generate electricity. Yes, bifacial solar modules generate electricity not only from the front surface but also from the backside.
Bifacial solar modules don’t require direct sunlight. They can generate electricity from the sunshine.
The same modules can generate electricity from the reflections of the sunlight. If you put some reflecting materials underneath the area, the modules can generate electricity from their backside.
How do Bifacial Solar Modules work?
As noted above, bifacial solar panels generate electricity from both sides.
The front side of the solar panels has top solar cells that absorb direct sunlight at a certain wavelength and generate electricity from it.
The top solar cells on the bifacial solar module work like the standard solar panels, i.e., mono-facial solar panels.
What’s unique about the bifacial solar modules is that they have a different panel structure at the backside, unlike conventional solar panels.
The bifacial solar modules have special cells on the backside. These cells can also generate electricity from the reflections of direct sunlight through the ground.
To make the bifacial solar panels generate more electricity, all you have to do is paint the surface of the floor white color.
The white surface is good at reflecting sunlight, unlike dark colors, which absorb it.
Unlike conventional solar panels, bifacial solar modules are installed at varying angles as per the reflection of direct sunlight through the ground.
This way they can produce an extra amount of energy which can give you a high ROI.
Moreover, bifacial solar modules are also good at generating electricity in cloudy weather.
Yes, solar cells are designed to generate electricity from the sun shining. This means it doesn’t require direct sunlight to generate electricity.
To get the maximum generation of electricity from bifacial solar modules, they are installed at varying angles.
This means users can adjust the angle of the structure so that the panels can absorb the direct sunlight as well as the reflections of the light.
Unlike conventional solar panels, bifacial solar panels are protected with glass covers on both sides. This means they are more durable with an increased lifeline.
With conventional solar panels, you get a warranty of up to 25 years; however, with bifacial solar modules, you will get a warranty of up to 30 years.
How Bifacial Solar Modules Beneficial?
Bifacial Solar Modules are in high demand due to their ability to generate electricity from both sides. This means you can generate more electricity from the same structure.
This is the primary reason why bifacial solar modules are getting more and more popular!
The backside of the bifacial solar modules can’t generate the same electricity as the front side. So you can’t expect double generation of electricity from it.
However, it can add a few extra percentages of electricity compared to conventional solar modules. As per a recent study, with these solar modules, you can get up to 30% of extra electricity.
Since several factors can affect the production of electricity, we can’t claim the exact percentage here.
What studies show here is you will get up to 30% of extra electricity from the bifacial solar panels when you install them at the right angle.
Make sure to consider all the factors which can affect the overall production of electricity.
Bifacial Solar Panels Availability
Bifacial solar panels are not available widely as there are only a few manufacturers present in the country.
As of May 2019, over 100 MW of bifacial solar panels were installed in the United States.
Since the demand for bifacial solar panels is increasing, manufacturers are coming forward to produce these panels.
It will be a little difficult to find the right installer for this specific type of solar panel. We hope to find the bifacial solar panels and their installers easier in the coming years.
Are Bifacial Solar Panels right for My Home?
Bifacial Solar Panels were designed for big industries which means they are designed only for commercial purposes.
The same panels can not be installed for residential use. Yes, you can now install bifacial solar panels for residential purposes by fulfilling certain criteria set by the installers under the law.
Things to consider before installing Bifacial Solar Panels
There are certain things that you need to consider first before you can actually think of installing them. Here’s the list of things that you should check first.
- Your budget
- Your average consumption
- Required space for the installation of the panels
- Environment
You can utilize your terrace for the installation of solar panels. There are many benefits that you can get from installing solar panels right on your terrace area.
It doesn’t require specific space or extra arrangements. You can install them right on your terrace area.
Alternatively, you can install them on an iron shade which you can prepare from fabrication workers.
Generally, the installers will take care of everything. All you have to do is make the right deal with the contractor.
Bifacial Solar Panels: Pricing
Bifacial Solar Panels would cost higher than conventional solar panels as they come with extra benefits.
The price differences between the Mono facial solar panels and bifacial solar panels may vary from project to project.
See Also
Is Solar Energy Actually Cost-Effective?
Bifacial Solar Panels – Pricing
For big projects, conventional solar panels would cost $0.01 per watt, while bifacial solar panels would cost $0.05 per watt. It can go up to $0.20 for small projects.
Conclusion:
Before choosing the right solar panel for your home or office or business, prepare a checklist of things that you will be required first.
You also need to collect all the information about the technology used by the solar panels and how they work, their benefits and drawbacks as well.
We hope that the above article clears all your doubts about bifacial solar modules and their benefits.
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