Improved Performance of Bifacial Photovoltaic Modules with Low-Temperature Processed Textured Rear Reflector

Abstract

Bifacial photovoltaic (PV) modules can capture both front and rear incident light simultaneously, thereby enhancing their power output. Achieving uniformity in rear incident light is crucial for an efficient and a stable operation. In this study, we present a simple, yet effective textured rear reflector, designed to optimize the performance and stability of bifacial PV modules. The three-dimensional textured surface was created using an ethylene vinyl acetate sheet (EVA) through a hot-press method at 150 °C. Subsequently, the textured EVA surface was coated with solution-processed silver ink, increasing the reflectance of the textured reflector through a low-temperature process. The integration of the developed textured rear reflector into bifacial crystalline silicon (c-Si) PV modules resulted in an additional 6.9% improvement in power conversion efficiency compared to bifacial PV modules without a rear reflector, particularly when the rear reflector is close to the PV module. Furthermore, the textured rear reflector may mitigate current mismatch among cells by randomizing incident light and uniformly redistributing the reflected light to the PV cells. Consequently, the proposed textured reflector contributes to the enhanced performance and stability of bifacial PV modules.