Is an exact backside irradiance modelling essential for bifacial PV systems?

Brecl, Kristijan (author), Muñoz-Cerón, Emilio (author), Casa Higueras, Juan de la (author), Topič, Marko (author)

Backside irradiance modelling for photovoltaic (PV) modules is not simple and straightforward as it highly depends on the situation of an actual system. In addition, the irradiance conditions can change from one side of a PV system to the other due to the reflections from the ground or surroundings. Currently, all available models are based on analytical methods. Here, we present a new empirical model for backside irradiance for fixed PV systems modelled by a Gaussian function on the backside irradiance share and compare the results with an analytical model. Furthermore, we have applied different backside irradiance calculations to a PV performance rating model and compared the results. Our calculations, verified with the data from three different locations in Europe, have shown that for common PV systems, where the backside irradiance share is relatively low, annual PV performance calculations can be performed with a fixed backside irradiance share value.

• Language: English
• Keywords: PV systems, backside irradiance, modelling, energy yield
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FE - Faculty of Electrical Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 11 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 256, part A, art. 123942
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-170930
• UDC: 621.383
• ISSN on article: 1879-0682
• DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2025.123942
• COBISS.SI-ID: 243091203
• Publication date in RUL: 21.07.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Renewable energy
• Shortened title: Renew. energy
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 1879-0682
• COBISS.SI-ID: 527034905

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: PV sistemi, sevanje na zadnji strani, modeliranje, energijski donos