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  • 1.  Bi-facial Canopy Solar Panels and associated microinverters.

    Posted 10-29-2021 10:09 AM
    I'm working on a canopy solar project now where the solar vendor has proposed bi-facial with microinverters for each bi-facial panel.

    Does anyone have any feedback (negative or positive) regarding those type of canopy panel systems?

    What is the feeling of the group of "conventional" inverters vs micro-inverters?  Do they hold up?

    The output projected by this vendor was +10% over single-faced panels.

    Thank you!

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    BERNARD YOZWIAK
    Consultant
    Croton on Hudson NY
    BYOZWIAK@OPTONLINE.NET
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  • 2.  RE: Bi-facial Canopy Solar Panels and associated microinverters.

    Posted 11-01-2021 09:34 AM
    I have done lot of research on exactly what you are talking about. I hope you get some real life responses on your question.
    I like bifacials and have almost put them on 2 different  home but for a couple of unrelated reasons did not. Your numbers are right. Also,
    I would use microinverters as I like them for most everything for many reasons

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    Curtis Van Hove
    Renerable Energy Consultant and Installation
    Suncatcher Energy
    Sandy UT
    curt@suncatcherenergy.com
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Bi-facial Canopy Solar Panels and associated microinverters.

    ASES Life Member
    Posted 11-01-2021 09:56 AM
    Hi Bernard
    I am studying a fixed tilt bifacial array installed this summer at my lab at U Delaware. We have found that the reflectivity of the ground cover (white, silver, black tarps or gray gravel) does have a big impact on sunlight incident on rear. But it does not necessarily translate into increased AC output due to inverter clipping (my ratio is AC/DC=1.3) . The bifacial benefit may be lost during hours 10-3 when inverter output is limited. Cars are pretty reflective so that is good though. The microinverter would need to be carefully installed to not block light on any cells from rear. I dont know what AC/DC ratio they have hence whether they exhibit clipping.

    Steve

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    Steven Hegedus
    Professor and Senior Scientist
    University of Delaware
    Newark Delaware
    ssh@udel.edu
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Bi-facial Canopy Solar Panels and associated microinverters.

    Posted 11-01-2021 02:04 PM

    Thank you, Steven.  A light color for the concrete slab is a good thing to remember!
    Are you inferring that the microinverter may not be sized "properly" so that the combined output of both the faces of panels would be clipped by the inverter during the peak hours?



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    BERNARD YOZWIAK
    Consultant
    Croton on Hudson NY
    BYOZWIAK@OPTONLINE.NET
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Bi-facial Canopy Solar Panels and associated microinverters.

    Posted 11-01-2021 10:27 AM
    I installed  Enphase Longi AC bifacial panels this spring as an upgrade from decade old system.  The panels are opaque so I had to change my design. I ended up building a large frame above my home so I could take advantage of 24 hour daylight. The panels with microinverters currently produce  much more power than  the same KW old PV system. The older  PV array has some of the first Enphase microinverters which I still have connected, and no issues with.   I also installed  an Enphase Enpower  Smart Switch (Micro Grid )  and 30KW of Enphase Encharge Batteries. As I was installing this system it seemed complex and I had doubts, but having experienced a number of grid outages now I am now comfortable  with the system. Keep in mind to take advantage of bifacial panels it takes a bit more planning. I would have designed a different system if I could see through the panels. This system has a 100 foot run limit from the panels to the combiner box which is a problem.  I also have my old original PV tracking array 1/4 mile from my house because of the great solar exposure at that site. I need AC power all the time since I try to heat with Solar thermal and power outages can be very detrimental.


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    Harvey Bowers
    bowers654@gmail.com
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Bi-facial Canopy Solar Panels and associated microinverters.

    Silver
    Contributor
    Posted 11-01-2021 12:13 PM
    Edited by william fitch 11-01-2021 12:15 PM
    Use micro-inverters when shadowing is an issue. Central if not. Central is cheaper and keeps your electronics inside, usually. Hybrid optimizer + central device is just as expensive (Solar Edge as example) as going pure micro. .
    Bi-facial is useful if you can get a good level of irradiance on the back side. White ground coverings (crushed marble, white sand, etc) offer good reflectance. Also watch out for the racking, that you minimize the backside shadowing by it. Can be tricky.
    That's the short answer.

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    william fitch
    Owner
    www.WeAreSolar.com
    fcfcfc@ptd.net
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    Original Message