Israeli start-up company b-Solar has created a double-sided photovoltaic that they say can boast energy yields up to 50 percent.
Introduced at Intersolar Europe in Germany in June, these innovative bifacial solar cells utilize a black surface field of boron instead of traditional aluminum. This creates an open rear face where the cells can collect reflected and diffused sunlight and makes the front cell panels more efficient.
The new cells deliver 10-30% higher energy (KWH) per KWp when installed in standard applications and up to 50% in vertical installations, creating an equivalent cell efficiency of 21%-24% in standard applications and a total module power of 280-325 Watts for 60 cell modules. This gives them the industry’s highest rating for mono crystalline silicon cells for efficiency and power.
To date, b-Solar has struck deals with solar panel manufacturers that include solar AG, asola Solarpower GmbH, Solar-Fabrik AG, SI-Modules GmbH and Solarnova Produktions-und Vertriebs GmbH. The company also recently announced that panels equipped with its bifacial cells would be used in a 730 kW installation by TSBM in Nasukarasuyama, Japan.
