Canadian Solar announced it has delivered 10 MW of Canadian Solar bifacial PV modules to four solar power projects by Neighborhood Power near Portland, Oregon.
Bifacial PV modules can generate energy not only from the front side, but from the back side as well.
BiKu CS3U-PB-AG from Canadian Solar allows sunlight on the ground to be reflected to the glass-covered back side of the module, producing extra solar energy in a solar system. As a result, the system reduces the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) and yields higher return on investment (ROI).
Depending on the albedo (reflectivity) of the ground and other site conditions, daily energy yield for projects with bifacial modules can be 5-20 percent higher than with conventional polymer backsheet modules, the company said. This improved yield can dramatically enhance the economics of solar system deployments.
BiKu CS3U-PB-AG employs Canadian Solar’s bifacial polycrystalline PERC (passivated emitter and rear contact) solar technology. Using PERC in a 144 cell format, the module can reach up to 370W on the front side. Canadian Solar’s bifacial module comes with a 30mm frame for easy handling, saving significant installation costs.
“When the solar industry was hit with tariffs on solar modules and steel, it seemed that rising landed costs had priced these projects out of the market,” said Stephen Gates, president, Neighborhood Power Corporation.
“But with the additional power generated by Canadian Solar’s bifacial modules, delivered in the quantities and in the timeframe we needed, we were able to make the project economics work and bring these projects online by the end of 2018 as planned,” Gates added.
Canadian Solar BiKu bifacial modules are warranted for 30 years, 5 years longer than the industry standard, and have a lower degradation rate, which results in 20 percent additional yield over the lifetime of the solar module.
When added to the additional daily bifacial yield of 5-20 percent, Canadian Solar BiKu bifacial modules deliver up to 44 percent additional lifetime value compared to conventional modules, the company claims.
Canadian Solar has delivered and deployed over 200 MW of bifacial solar modules for customers and their r own solar projects around the world, said Shawn Qu, chairman and CEO of Canadian Solar.