Comparative Performance Analysis of Bifacial and Monofacial Photovoltaic Panels: A Computational Analyses

Abstract

This paper presents a detailed techno-economic comparison between bifacial and monofacial crystalline-silicon photovoltaic (PV) modules for a planned 398 MW₍DC₎ utility-scale plant near Oujda, Morocco. Hour-by-hour simulations using NREL’s System Advisor Model (SAM) evaluate four key performance metrics—annual energy yield, long-term degradation, performance ratio, and total installed cost—while systematically varying module clearance (0–5 m) and tilt angle (10–50°). The simulation outcomes reveal that under the optimal configuration (30° tilt, 1 m clearance, albedo = 0.25), the bifacial Sunpreme MAXIMA GxB-330 module generates 728 GWh yr⁻1, approximately 7.9 % more than the monofacial SunPower SPR-P17-330-COM. This increases the plant’s capacity factor to 20.9 % and reduces the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) to USD 1.67 kWh⁻1. Sensitivity analysis reveals that each additional meter of ground clearance enhances annual output by roughly 1.4 %. Although the capital-expenditure difference between the two module types is less than 0.001 %, bifacial technology offers superior lifetime value in high-albedo environments, while monofacial systems remain economically viable in low-reflectance sites with tighter balance-of-system constraints.