Work

Performance and economic evaluation of ground surface effects on bifacial photovoltaic systems under tropical conditions

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The influence of ground surface conditions on bifacial photovoltaic (PV) performance remains widely discussed, yet experimental evidence under real tropical environments is still limited. This study presents a field-based evaluation of bifacial PV systems installed over four natural surface types (sand, gravel, grass, and water) based on a two-month outdoor experiment conducted in Indonesia. The results show a consistent performance trend, with grass surfaces yielding the highest energy output and water surfaces the lowest. However, the overall variation in energy yield remains limited to approximately 2.5% across all configurations. Economic analysis further demonstrates that this performance difference translates into negligible financial impact. Annual savings vary by less than IDR 30,000, while the payback period ranges narrowly between 9.14 and 9.38 years. Similarly, the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) varies only slightly from 860 to 885 IDR/kWh, with internal rates of return between 9.6% and 10.3% across all configurations. These findings indicate that, although ground surface conditions influence bifacial PV performance, their impact on economic viability is minimal under tropical operating conditions. hese findings indicate that the impact of ground surface conditions on economic performance is relatively small under the evaluated conditions. This study provides empirical evidence that challenges the practical significance of surface optimization and supports more cost-effective decision-making in bifacial PV deployment.

Source: Results in Engineering

DOI: 10.1016/j.rineng.2026.112711