Porto Novo bifacial solar panels

Are bifacial solar panels better than monofacial panels?

The technology behind solar panels continues to evolve and improve. Manufacturers are now able to produce bifacial panels, which feature energy-producing solar cells on both sides of the panel. With two faces capable of absorbing sunlight, bifacial solar panels can be more efficient than traditional monofacial panels – if used appropriately.

What is a bifacial solar panel?

Unlike monofacial panels that only use front-side illumination, bifacial models capture additional 10-30% energy from reflected light (albedo). Their solar cells are specially arranged with wider spacing to optimize rear-side exposure, and they typically use advanced cell technologies like PERC or TOPCon for higher bifaciality factors (65-90%).

What are the benefits of bifacial solar panels?

Commercially, there are several benefits in using bifacial solar cells. As discussed earlier, the first will not add any cost to the present monofacial solar cells. Second, the minimized land usage for installing bifacial panels is almost half the surface required for monofacial solar panels.

Are bifacial solar panels suitable for rooftop installations?

Bifacial solar panels are not suitable for rooftop installations but may work well with residential ground-mounted solar systems. The ideal use case for bifacial solar panels is in commercial and utility-scale solar installations.