In what may provide a 20%-30% boost in electricity generation, an Israeli solar startup bSolar is pushing ahead with the development of its “bifacial” (or double-sided) photovoltaic panels.
According to Earth2Tech, the company recently announced a 730KW project in Japan that will use the new technology. The cells collect sunlight by both front and rear surfaces, generating additional electricity from direct sun light entering the module’s rear-side as well as from direct and diffuse light reflected from the ground. It is estimated that the additional rear collectors will boost electricity generation up to 30%. If vertical, that number jumps to an even more impressive 50% boost.
As GizMag points out, white painted roofs in particular could offer excellent reflectivity for increased energy yields.
“I am pleased at the remarkably fast adoption of our bifacial solar cells in the market,” said BSolar CEO Yossi Kofman in a statement. “This first project in Japan and the new modules by industry leaders represent a major vote of confidence in BSolar’s products and capabilities.”
Of course the big question “How much?” remains somewhat elusive. As Bhushan Sopori, a researcher at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory told Earth2Tech, this is impressive tech – but will anyone pay for it? “The technologies are there. The big question is the additional costs of doing it – how much reflected light can be harvested and do the benefits justify the cost?”
To learn more about bSolar, hit the company’s official website here.