Solar panel test site on Fairbanks campus
May 11, 2020
A solar panel test site on the Fairbanks campus is part of the Alaska Center for Energy and Power’s Solar Technologies Program.
The program is working to increase the use of solar photovoltaic panels in Alaska and the Arctic where it is technically and economically warranted.
These panels, which can absorb and convert sunlight into electricity on two sides instead of one, are mounted vertically along a north-south axis, with their sides facing east and west.
As the sun rises in the morning and illuminates one side of the vertical bifacial panels, there is an initial production spike. A second spike in production follows in the afternoon when the other side is illuminated. This production profile is different from the output of a traditional south-facing monofacial panel.
The overall production from bifacial panels is greater than from monofacial panels, an effect which is amplified at higher latitudes and is also enhanced by reflection from snow cover. This is one example of some of the unique opportunities for solar photovoltaic power in Alaska.
The test site was built in partnership with Sandia National Laboratories, with additional support from the Office of Naval Research.
For more information on the test site and Solar Technologies Program, contact Erin Whitney at erin.whitney@alaska.edu or visit the Solar Technologies Program website.