Double the Power: Bifacial Solar Panel Modules

Traditional solar panels are monofacial, which means that only one side of the panel is exposed to sunlight and is capable of producing energy. Bifacial solar panels, as the name indicates, produce solar power from both sides of the panel by exposing both the front and back sides of the solar cells. Conservative estimates suggest that the usage of bifacial modules can contribute to a 30% increase in solar power production.

Despite their discovery in the 1960s, bifacial panels have been out of the focus for the past few decades. This is due to a higher cost difference (in comparison to traditional solar panels) and a general lack of investment in solar energy. However, technological advances and the growing urgency around the usage of solar energy have made bifacial lenses cheaper in comparison and available in markets.

Despite these improvements, bifacial panels have still not become the norm because of higher initial costs. Even though research suggests that they are more cost-effective in the long term (owing to higher energy generation capacity), awareness surrounding this reality continues to be absent even in developed countries. Research suggests that bifacial panels will account for 24% of all solar installations by 2024. A greater emphasis on energy efficiency and clean energy in developing countries (which tend to have higher cumulative energy requirements) represents the perfect opportunity for the expansion of the bifacial panel market.