I presented this poster at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Day. This poster was also on display at the 2018 Alaska Rural Energy Conference

1. Bifacial Solar Photovoltaic Panel Performance at High Latitude
Daniel Manley, Dr. Erin Whitney, Dr. Daisy Huang, Christopher Pike
Purpose
Background
References
Data Collection
Made possible through a collaboration between the Alaska Center for Energy and Power (ACEP)
and Sandia National Laboratories
1. Stein, Joshua S, et al. One Year Performance Results for the Prism
Solar Installation at the New Mexico Regional Test Center: Field Data
from February 15, 2016 - February 14, 2017. 2017, pp. 1–41, One Year
Performance Results for the Prism Solar Installation at the New Mexico
Regional Test Center: Field Data from February 15, 2016 - February 14,
2017.
2. Dr. Whitney, E. (2018, March 27). Email.
3. McIntosh, Keith, et al. “Altermatt Lecture: The Solar Spectrum.” PV
Lighthouse, 27 Mar. 2018,
www2.pvlighthouse.com.au/resources/courses/altermatt/The Solar
Spectrum/Albedo.aspx.
4. Honsberg, Christiana, and Stuart Bowden. “PVEducation.” Effect of
Temperature | PVEducation, 27 Mar. 2018,
www.pveducation.org/pvcdrom/effect-of-temperature.
Vermont (March 28, 2017 – May 03 2017)
Out of 16 bifacial solar PV panels and 16 monofacial
reference panels at 8 different angles, the bifacial panels
outperformed the monofacial panels in every case. The
bifacial panels above white gravel also produced ~5%
more energy than the bifacial panels above gray gravel (1).
New Mexico (Feb. 15, 2016 – Feb. 14, 2017)
Out of 16 bifacial solar PV panels and 16 monofacial
reference panels at 8 different angles, the bifacial panels
outperformed monofacial panels by 17% to 132%,
depending on module orientation. These bifacial gains are
largest in the morning and evening (1).
To characterize performance enhancements of bifacial
solar photovoltaic (PV) panels at high latitude. Previous
studies showed bifacial PV panels outperforming
monofacial panels by 17% - 132% (1). These
enhancements could be even more prominent in Alaska,
due to the state’s naturally high albedo (snow) (3) and cold
in the winter (4), as well as large solar azimuth. Solar PV
panels are becoming a viable, economic energy source in
a number of location around Alaska where the cost of
energy is high. They are especially attractive due to the
lack of moving parts.
• Daily recordings of wind, temperature, sky conditions,
snow, ice, frost, active precipitation, as well as
qualitative data
• Power production of panels
• Current/voltage curves
• Global horizontal irradiance
The graph on
the lefts
shows total
energy
produced by
monofacial
panels
(dotted) and
bifacial panels
(clear) over
12 months in
kWh per
installed kW
Energy Production Over 12 Months In New
Mexico 02/15/16 – 02/14/2017 (1)
Bifacial panels appear to shed snow faster than
monofacial panels.
Front Side of South-Facing Solar Panels
East Side of East and West-Facing
Bifacial Solar Panels
Test Site From the North West
Overhead Diagram of Test Site (2)
WestEast
Located on the UAF Experimental Farm