Comparative study of bifacial and monofacial solar PV modules across diverse albedo conditions in India's warm-humid tropical climate

Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology plays a critical role in advancing sustainable electricity generation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This study evaluates the comparative performance of bifacial and monofacial PV modules under eight ground surface materials with varying albedo values representative of India’s warm–humid tropical climate. PVsyst simulations were conducted for a 30 kWp grid-connected PV system located in Kottayam, Kerala. The investigated surfaces include grass, dry asphalt, wet asphalt, concrete, pavement tiles, galvanized steel, aluminium, and white paint, with albedo values ranging from 12% to 90%. Results indicate that bifacial modules consistently produce higher energy output than monofacial modules, with annual energy gains ranging from 1.52% to 2.67% depending on surface reflectivity. Highly reflective surfaces such as white paint and aluminium yield the highest annual energy generation of 43,709 kWh and 43,647 kWh, respectively. Over a 25-year lifetime, bifacial systems generate up to 25,219 kWh of additional electricity compared with the monofacial configuration. The increased energy yield also results in avoided carbon emissions of 13–23.6 tonnes of CO 2 over the system lifetime. Techno-economic evaluation indicates LCOE values between ₹4.85 and ₹4.90/kWh for bifacial systems, with payback periods of approximately 6 years. The results suggest that optimizing ground surface reflectivity can enhance the energy performance and environmental benefits of bifacial PV installations in warm–humid tropical climates. These findings provide useful guidance for PV system designers and policymakers seeking to improve the efficiency and sustainability of solar energy deployment.