Comparison of energy performance between monofacial and bifacial photovoltaic panels

Bifacial solar panels can generate up to 20% more energy compared to monofacial panels, utilizing radiation from both their front surface and the albedo effect from their rear surface. Various factors affect the performance of bifacial panels, including panel height, tilt angles, orientations (direction faced by the front surface), irradiance levels, panel surface temperature, ambient temperature, humidity, among others. This study aims to experimentally compare the energy performance of monofacial and bifacial photovoltaic panels in Çorlu district of Tekirdağ province, integrate meteorological data for predictive analysis using artificial neural networks, and conduct energy and exergy analyses of these photovoltaic systems. The study employed two 460 W bifacial panels facing east and one 460 W monofacial panel facing south. The monofacial panel was fixed at a 40° tilt angle throughout the experiments. The bifacial panels were positioned at heights of 50 cm and 100 cm above ground level. Tilt angles of the bifacial panels were set at 30° during April-May, 40° during June-July, and 50° during August-September, and their energy generation was observed over six months. Irradiance, air temperature and humidity, wind speed, and panel surface temperature were measured and recorded using sensors. The gathered data were compared, and energy and exergy analyses were performed to identify optimal installation conditions for bifacial solar panels in the region. The energy and exergy analyses provided insights into enhancing the design and efficiency of photovoltaic panels, offering a roadmap for improvement. Additionally, a three-hidden-layer artificial neural network model was developed to predict energy production of bifacial photovoltaic panels under different meteorological conditions.