Bifacial Solar Panels
Dual-sided solar panels that produce clean energy from direct sunlight and reflected light beneath.
What Is It?
Standard solar panels are "monofacial" — they have active solar cells on the front and an opaque plastic sheet on the back. Any light striking behind the panel is completely wasted.
Bifacial solar panels replace the opaque backsheet with transparent tempered glass. The solar cells inside are active on both sides, allowing the panel to produce electricity from direct sunlight on the front and reflected light (known as albedo) on the rear.
Depending on the surface beneath the panels and the installation height, bifacial panels can generate an extra 5% to 20%+ energy from the exact same roof footprint.
How Does It Work?
The front glass captures direct sunlight from above, while the rear glass captures reflected light bouncing off your roof surface, ground, or adjacent walls.
Front Direct Capture
Sunlight hits the front face and generates primary electricity
Ground/Roof Reflection
Excess sunlight reflects off the surface beneath (Albedo)
Rear-Side Generation
Rear cell surface absorbs the reflected ambient light
Combined Power Output
Both outputs merge into the circuit for a 5%–20% energy boost
Key Benefits
Harvests 5% to 20% additional kilowatt-hours from the same installed area with no extra land or roof space needed.
Dual-tempered glass protects against micro-cracking from wind vibrations and eliminates backsheet degradation.
Glass is completely impermeable, making bifacial modules ideal for coastal or high-humidity tropical climates.
Most dual-glass bifacial panels come with an extended 30-year linear performance warranty with lower annual degradation.
Where Is It Suitable?
Bifacial panels deliver their best performance when mounted with open clearance above a reflective surface:
Things to Consider
Key limitations and factors to evaluate before choosing bifacial:
Rear Yield Depends on Surface
If installed flush against a dark sloping tiled roof, the rear side receives no light and functions just like a standard monofacial panel.
Elevation Height Required
Panels must be elevated at least 0.8 to 1.2 meters above the roof to allow reflected light to scatter evenly under the modules.
Weight Considerations
Dual-glass panels are slightly heavier than single-glass panels, requiring sturdy structural mounting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the rear side of a bifacial panel produce 100% of the front-side power?
No. The rear side captures reflected light and typically has a "bifaciality factor" of 70% to 85% relative to the front. Under typical Kerala terrace conditions, this results in an overall system energy boost of 8% to 15%.
Do bifacial panels work on flat concrete terrace roofs?
Yes, concrete terraces are an ideal application! Elevating the panels on an open structure allows light reflecting off the cement or tiles to reach the underside of the panels.
Can I paint my roof white to get more power from bifacial panels?
Yes. Applying a white reflective roof coating or white solar-reflective waterproofing increases surface albedo up to 70%+, boosting rear-side generation while simultaneously cooling the top floor of your building.
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