Comparison of ground-based and floating solar photovoltaic systems performance based on monofacial and bifacial modules in Ghana

Abstract

This research aims to compare the energy output potential of land-based and floating bifacial photovoltaic (PV) systems of 50 MW and 400 kW with an existing land-based and floating monofacial PV system of the same dimensions and design in Bui, Ghana. The study uses ground weather files and PV system configurations to compare the energy yield from simulations of the different PV systems based on capacity factor, performance ratio, and monthly, final/annual energy yield. The results show that the bifacial gain of land-based and floating bifacial PV systems is 2.51% and 4.57%, respectively, and the capacity factor and performance ratio of the bifacial PV system are higher than the monofacial PV system. However, the additional energy generated by the bifacial PV system is not significant enough to justify the installation of a new system. Therefore, the study recommends optimizing system parameters such as albedo, tilt angle, and ground cover ratio to 0.5, 15°, and 0.3 respectively to enhance the performance and increase the bifacial gain of the PV system. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the potential of bifacial PV systems in Bui, Ghana, and highlights the importance of optimizing system parameters for maximum energy output.