An Improved Dynamic Opto-Electric-Thermal Model for Power Estimation of Bifacial PV Module

Abstract

This study presents a dynamic electro-thermal model for accurately estimating the module temperature and performance of bifacial solar PV module. The proposed model leverages an equivalent electrical circuit analogy to analyze the module's transient behavior, taking into account the thermal exchanges and module thermal mass. The ability of the model to predict thermal characteristics of the bifacial module was checked against the measured data demonstrating its ability to overcome the limitations of existing models, with root mean square error (RMSE) values ranging between 1°C-2°C. The electrical performance of a 355 W peak rated bifacial PV module was also analyzed by the model. The results for seasonal performance indicated the model's robustness under conditions of high irradiance fluctuations, showing lower errors (RMSE < 25 W, MAE < 13 W), for a 355 W peak rated bifacial PV module. Thus, the presented approach can be a useful tool in predicting the electro-thermal behavior of bifacial solar modules. The innovation of this work lies in addressing oversights in current methods, such as neglecting the module's thermal response and accurate rear-side irradiance assessment, which frequently result in inaccurate power output projections. The major outcome of this study provides a dynamic opto-electric-thermal modelling framework which can be helpful for the development, optimisation and design of efficient and cost-effective bifacial systems for industrial and commercial applications.