Comparative analysis of experimental and modelling of bifacial PV panel: a step towards digital twin

Abstract

The combination of bifacial solar PV panels and digital twin technology represents a robust advancement in solar energy. Bifacial PV panels offer enhanced efficiency and durability, making them an attractive option for maximizing energy production and reducing costs. When combined with the capabilities of a digital twin, PV systems can be optimized for performance, maintenance, and economic return, ensuring the delivery of the maximum possible benefit over their operational lifetime. In this study, a bifacial PV panel was installed, data was collected, and different models were created. This paper aims to make a virtual system that mimics the bifacial PV panel to forecast the power production for the panel, which helps in designing large bifacial PV power plants. The results revealed that the analytical model shows good agreements with voltage variations, accuracy reaching 96.79 % in the period of January and February, the PVsyst model best mimics the current variation during May and June, and Simulink emulates the power generation by the bifacial PV panels with 92.3 % accuracy in July and August. This paper gives a step into digital twin technology. The digital twin allows for real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance, enabling operators to enhance system performance, reduce downtime, predict faults in the system, and save on the cost of real testing. As the solar energy industry continues to evolve, integrating these advanced technologies will be essential for driving further efficiency, reliability, and sustainability improvements, ultimately contributing to the broader goal of a clean and resilient energy future.