| Title: |
Impact of Rear-Hanging String-Cable-Bundle Shading on Performance Parameters of Bifacial Photovoltaic Modules |
| Authors: |
Dan Smith; Scott Rand; Peter Hruby; Ben De Fresart; Paul Subzak; Sai Tatapudi; Nijanth Kothandapani; GovindaSamy TamizhMani |
| Source: |
Energies ; Volume 19 ; Issue 1 ; Pages: 126 |
| Publisher Information: |
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute |
| Publication Year: |
2025 |
| Collection: |
MDPI Open Access Publishing |
| Subject Terms: |
bifacial PV modules; string cable; rear shading; current and voltage |
| Description: |
The 2025 International Technology Roadmap for Photovoltaics (ITRPV) projects that bifacial modules will dominate the photovoltaic (PV) market, reaching roughly 60–80% global share between 2024 and 2035, while monofacial PV modules will steadily decline. Current industry practice is to route the cable bundles along structural members such as main beams or torque tubes, thereby preventing rear-side shading but resulting in two key drawbacks: increased cable length and decreased system reliability due to cable proximity with rotating members and pinch points. Both effects contribute to higher system costs and reduced cable reliability. An alternative method involves suspending cable bundles directly behind the modules using hangers. While this approach mitigates excess length and risk of cable snags, it introduces the possibility of partial rear-side shading, which could possibly cause performance loss and hot-spot formation due to shade-induced electrical mismatch. Experimental evidence indicates that this risk is minimal, as albedo irradiance typically represents only 10–30% of front-side irradiance as reported in the literature and is largely diffuse, thereby limiting the likelihood of significant directional shading. This study evaluates the performance and reliability impacts of hanger-supported cable bundles under varying experimental conditions. Performance metrics assessed include maximum power output (Pmax), short-circuit current (Isc), open-circuit voltage (Voc), and fill factor (FF), while hot-spot risk was evaluated through measurements of module temperature uniformity using infrared imaging. Each cable (1X) was 6 AWG with a total outer diameter of approximately 9 mm. Experiments covered different cable bundle counts/sizes (2X, 6X, 16X), mounting configurations (fixed-tilt and single-axis tracker), and albedo conditions (snow-covered and snow-free ground). Measurements were conducted hourly on clear days between 8:00 and 16:00 from June to September 2025. The results consistently show that ... |
| Document Type: |
text |
| File Description: |
application/pdf |
| Language: |
English |
| Relation: |
A2: Solar Energy and Photovoltaic Systems; https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/en19010126 |
| DOI: |
10.3390/en19010126 |
| Availability: |
https://doi.org/10.3390/en19010126 |
| Rights: |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.D457BFC1 |
| Database: |
BASE |