LONGi Solar’s bifacial modules have been installed on top of an innovative, modular timber tower in Chile.
The Peñuelas Experimental Tower was developed and delivered by the Wood Innovation Center of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile as a proof of concept for a quick and sustainable building method.
In total, 15 of LONGi’s 60 cell mono-PERC bifacial (LR6-60BP-300M modules) have been installed. Around 1.5kW faces north with a tilt of around 33% with 3kW installed flat.
Fraunhofer Center for Solar Energy Technologies (CSET) will monitor the performance of the system, with four reference cells (2x POA 2x albedo) installed in a coplanar fashion for measuring both the plane of array and albedo irradiation of the two aforementioned subsystems (tilted and flat) and temperature meters to help understand the performance of this innovative commercial plant.
The installation was completed by ICG and Fleischmann, national companies that work in solar energy, with sponsorship from the distribution grid operator Chilquinta.
The system has already been connected to the national grid system and, at the time of writing, is awaiting its final net-billing permits by the distribution grid operator.
“Chile in particular has a huge opportunity to maximize the benefits of bifacial solar. It’s a privilege to help Fraunhofer CSET in its mission to build a solar economy in Chile,” said Richard For, Vice President of LONGi Solar. “Gathering real data from the field is hugely important for the development of bifacial solar. As well as helping system integrators to understand more about the design and installation it also builds a body of evidence to push bifacial projects towards mainstream bankability.”
