Analysis of Bifacial Photovoltaic System Configurations for Enhanced Grid Integration: A Case Study of Costa Rica’s Load Demand Profile

Decarbonizing electricity generation is crucial for achieving sustainable development. In this context, photovoltaic (PV) technology plays a vital role because of its technological maturity and widespread adoption among stakeholders. Currently, the design of PV systems focuses on maximizing the energy conversion of PV modules. However, as the integration of PV systems increases, a paradox arises: while there is a need to inject more renewable energy into the grid, the mismatch between generation and demand creates challenges for grid integration.Reducing the cost of PV power generation could facilitate the integration of more electricity into the grid by allowing a compromise in production. This approach could enable more efficient use of generated energy and better grid integration. Therefore, this study presents an introductory sensitivity analysis through computational simulations exploring various orientations (azimuth and tilt angles) for bi-particle photovoltaic systems and their corresponding impact on grid integration. This exercise was conducted using the load demand profile for Costa Rica in 2023. Using this analysis, it was found the theoretical maximum PV capacity to be installed in Costa Rica is around 2GWp. Also it is found that the better utilization of the PV generation occurs for lower tilt angle with some not wide penetration for vertical bifacial systems.