Estimating the Energy Yield of Bifacial Photovoltaics with the JRC’s Photovoltaic Geographic Information System

The European Commission's Joint Research Centre is upgrading its Photovoltaic Geographic Information System (PVGIS) to include energy yield from bifacial photovoltaics. The aim is to provide a reliable method for estimating energy yield from bifacial photovoltaics, that is suitable for online information systems designed to provide quick and reliable estimates on PV performance, also for non-expert users and with limited data input requirements. A simplified bifacial PV model has been adapted for this purpose. The initial validation with data from south facing tilted and from east-west vertical systems at JRC’s European Solar Test Installation in Ispra, Italy, gave encouraging results for the irradiance levels at the rear of the modules (tilted and vertical systems) and for module temperature. The model is implemented in the PVGIS 6 software update, currently under development. The validation should in any case be extended in future, with suitable data from other locations.