Researchers have looked at how vertical PV systems could provide more electricity during periods of higher demand, while enabling a higher level of integration with agricultural activities.

Researcher from the Leipzig University of Applied Sciences have found that such installations could have a beneficial effect in stabilizing the country’s grid, while allowing greater integration with agricultural activities than with conventional ground-mounted PV plants.

The study also took into account the higher costs of bifacial panels, as well as that the installable power per area of vertical installation is lower due to shading effects, as the module row distance usually ranges from 8 meters to 12 meters, which in turn increases wiring costs.

For conventional ground-mounted systems, the scientists considered a tilt angle of 20 degrees and an average estimated energy yield 1,020 Wh/W. For the bifacial vertical west-east oriented systems, they assumed a bifaciality factor of 90% and an annual energy yield of 999 Wh/W, while for vertical systems with a north-south orientation the annual energy yield was indicated at 926 Wh/W.

It was also found that vertical PV systems can shift solar yield into hours of higher electricity demand and more electricity supply in the winter months, thus reducing solar curtailment.

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