Self-Shading in Bifacial Photovoltaic Noise Barriers
conference paper
There is a large market potential for Bifacial Photovoltaic Noise Barriers (PVNB) due to their high energy output for any road orientation. A crucial parameter affecting their energy output is the so-called 'self-shading. In this research we evaluate the effect of self-shading on the energy production of both an east and west facing bifacial PVNB. We followed an approach consisting of 1) Experimental investigation by accurately monitoring the power output of two bifacial PVNB prototypes, 2) Shading simulation using in-house developed simulation methods. Results show that in particular noise barriers on north-south aligned roads suffer from self-shading because the support structure of the noise barrier itself casts a shadow on the PV modules around noon. A strong correlation is found between clearness index and energy yield loss. On sunny days the energy loss can be as high as 5%. The year average for the loss is about 3%. Clear design guidelines for minimizing the impact have been derived. We conclude that our measurement method, simulation tools and derived design guidelines provide a way to assess and minimize the effect of self-shading on the energy output of bifacial photovoltaic noise barriers, leading to better energy yields and more market success for this type of application.
TNO Identifier
872065
ISSN
2196-100X
ISBN
3-936338-41-8
Source title
EU PVSEC Proceedings
Collation
3 p.
Pages
2737 - 2739