Vertical Bifacial Solar Panel Performance Results Part 1

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  • čas přidán 15. 05. 2024
  • Have we been mounting solar panels wrong all along? Do vertical bifacial solar panels perform better than South facing panels? Here's the first round of winter results.
    Link to Bifacial Solar Panels on my website: projectswithdave.com/solar-pa...
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    Related Videos:
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    Reference Links:
    Renogy Solar Panel Mount Brackets: renogy.sjv.io/Mm1ON3
    SWI Fence Company - Vertical Pound in fence Posts: shopifence.com/
    “Integration of vertical solar power plants into a future German energy system,” Sophia Reker, Jens Schneider, Christoph Gerhards, Smart Energy, Volume 7,2022: www.sciencedirect.com/science...
    Next2Sun: next2sun.com/
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    Disclaimers:
    This video is for information purposes only, and does not constitute professional advice. Solar systems can and do involve dangerous electrical connections. If you do not have experience with electrical wiring, please seek professional support.
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    Timestamps:
    00:00 Intro
    04:32 Vertical Bifacial Sunny Performance
    06:16 Vertical Bifacial + South Combined
    06:53 Vertical Bifacial Cloudy Performance
    07:27 Vertical Bifacial Cloudy + Snow Performance
    08:39 Vertical Bifacial Sunny + Snow Performance
    10:19 Vertical Bifacial Snow Coverd Panels
    11:25 Vertical Bifacial Performance Summary
    12:05 Vertical Bifacial January Result
    12:26 Summary
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Komentáře • 1,4K

  • @ProjectsWithDave
    @ProjectsWithDave  Před 3 měsíci +92

    This has been one of my most interesting tests so far! I'll bring summer results when I get them. Let me know what you think below:
    Link to Bifacial Solar Panels on my website: projectswithdave.com/solar-panels/
    Signature Solar has free shipping on there Solar Panels till 2/27/24: signaturesolar.com/shop-all/solar-panels/?ref=SALE
    FREE Solar Financial Calculator on my website ProjectsWithDave.com: projectswithdave.com/

    • @timmullins3132
      @timmullins3132 Před 3 měsíci +6

      why not south north?

    • @mattmill30
      @mattmill30 Před 3 měsíci +3

      9:34 - You touched on it about using reflective rocks, but would a mirror in-front of the vertical panels, or possibly adjacent at a vertical+horizontal angle or a vertically angled curved/conical, solve the mid-day dip in performance? If so, what if the vertical panels are placed in-front of the 45° panels? The light would be reflected towards the vertical panels.

    • @joeycad
      @joeycad Před 3 měsíci

      ​@@timmullins3132 yes, north/ south would be best in winter,. Would not collect much in longer days though. Just turn them twice a year

    • @dizzlethe7346
      @dizzlethe7346 Před 3 měsíci +2

      @@timmullins3132 because your able to put up more rows w,o interfering with the other's light, Nor do you get the reflection benefits.

    • @dizzlethe7346
      @dizzlethe7346 Před 3 měsíci +1

      I really need to write a script for this with how often I seem to be replying to videos on this...

  • @mb-3faze
    @mb-3faze Před 3 měsíci +178

    Going to be interesting in the summer because one of the (apparent) advantages of vertical mounting is that they do not get so hot and heat reduces panel output considerably.

    • @ProjectsWithDave
      @ProjectsWithDave  Před 3 měsíci +47

      I'll track it and see what happens.

    • @Zorlig
      @Zorlig Před 3 měsíci +24

      They don't get as hot because they don't get as much sun :)

    • @mb-3faze
      @mb-3faze Před 3 měsíci +31

      @@Zorlig There's a joke that because the panels like being cool the best place for them is in the shade😊

    • @mb-3faze
      @mb-3faze Před 3 měsíci +5

      @@Zorlig Are you in the States? In the UK where I am now, we can buy 425W longi panels for just less than $100(US) equivalent each (including our 20% tax) and that price includes delivery to the site. What's the price of panels in the US?

    • @Zorlig
      @Zorlig Před 3 měsíci +8

      @@mb-3faze I lot more than that. They've basically banned the cheap Chinese ones here. I can get a 535 watt Canadian solar bifacial for $203 plus shipping. That's a great joke btw.

  • @WillProwse
    @WillProwse Před 3 měsíci +251

    So glad you got to test this!!! Awesome results. Especially with the snow on the ground. I need to do a desert, high temp test

    • @ProjectsWithDave
      @ProjectsWithDave  Před 3 měsíci +27

      That would be great to compare. If you have sand as a background it would be nice to see how the reflectivity compares. Probably much better than grass but not as good as the snow results.

    • @chrislaf89
      @chrislaf89 Před 3 měsíci +4

      Desert would have the reflectivity too, so it should be interesting

    • @Skyhanger
      @Skyhanger Před 3 měsíci +27

      One interesting thing i read about vertical bifacials is they stay cooler under midday sun, thus suffering less power loss at noon.

    • @MyCabinLife
      @MyCabinLife Před 3 měsíci +2

      Hey Will glad to see you here!
      I just finished watching your last video and this came up as a suggested video.
      It's hard to know whose information to trust because there are so many people out there doing solar now and you don't know what is safe or isn't safe. So I always look for answers on your channel first LOL

    • @hobbes1069
      @hobbes1069 Před 3 měsíci +1

      I'm wondering if we'll see better results in hotter climates? With the panels not directly facing the sun they may run "cooler" and perform better.

  • @stephenbrent2605
    @stephenbrent2605 Před 3 měsíci +247

    I have had similar results with one of my experiments. I use older bifacials, mounted them vertically on a concrete pad and alternately used mirrors and then white paint underneath for reflectivity. The results have been very good, getting as much as 209 watts from 157 watt panels. These were partly cloudy to mostly cloudy days. At midday the numbers were approximately 35% lest than rated. Enjoy your channel immensely!😊

    • @ProjectsWithDave
      @ProjectsWithDave  Před 3 měsíci +12

      Nice! Thanks for posting your results!

    • @Tailss1
      @Tailss1 Před 3 měsíci +5

      Do you find that you get more watt hours total over the course of the day?

    • @cerberes
      @cerberes Před 3 měsíci +5

      What if you gave them a slight tilt? Say there’s a hinge point at the top and the panel could swing 15 deg both ways as the sun passes overhead?

    • @stephenbrent2605
      @stephenbrent2605 Před 3 měsíci +7

      @@Tailss1 yes, 15 to 43% more depending on conditions. I am still fine tuning my setup so I keep making small changes from time to time.

    • @Tailss1
      @Tailss1 Před 3 měsíci +5

      @@stephenbrent2605 I'm going to try this with mine - I have an experimental off grid homestead and used solar all last summer with okay results. I'm going to try using white gravel underneath mine (marble) as it's plentiful where I'm at.

  • @gerrywalsh6853
    @gerrywalsh6853 Před 2 měsíci +14

    I think this is amazing the amount of cleaning and hail damage are almost enough to switch

  • @PandorasFolly
    @PandorasFolly Před 3 měsíci +15

    Im out in New Mexico. I have a former coworker who used bifacials to build a "ramada" but the panels were mounted like 25 feet up. He saw so much gain from a month where snow was on the ground he decided to duplicate it. Painted the concrete pad and then put white painted gravel 15 feet out in evey direction. He is still collecting data but says it looks like a 20% increase

  • @suvari225
    @suvari225 Před 3 měsíci +50

    Dave, I am impressed. Your experiment can easily get published in a scientific journal. You had a great approach to a question, performed a rigorous testing, present the data in a clean unbiased way, and told the story fantastically!

    • @jamesf1165
      @jamesf1165 Před 3 měsíci +3

      Publish Dave! Get credit for your effort.

  • @jasonbroom7147
    @jasonbroom7147 Před 3 měsíci +15

    This video is nothing less than a profound service to the community. I will be installing solar on property around the 45th parallel, where snow is a very real likelihood throughout much of the winter. It's now crystal clear why bifacial solar panels are the only choice to consider! :)

  • @k87upkid
    @k87upkid Před 3 měsíci +38

    Have you considered testing a south facing vertical panel? My dad's array in northern Michigan is on an adjustable rack. In mid-winter he has them tilted to a few degrees above the horizon and, with the additional reflection of the snow, his system produces far more during the winter than it does during the summer. It also provides the benefit of easily shedding snow, he never has to brush his panels off.

    • @TheRenofox
      @TheRenofox Před 2 měsíci +1

      I'd like to see this too. Despite the reduction of diffracted light behind the panel, the effectiveness of the sun-facing panels implies this would be way more effective use for vertically mounted panels too.

    • @leifhietala8074
      @leifhietala8074 Před 2 měsíci +2

      I bet some of his improved performance is due to the cooler operation of the panel in winter.

    • @TheRenofox
      @TheRenofox Před měsícem +5

      @@leifhietala8074 Obviously, but I'm curious whether it would be even better facing south and north instead of west and east. Obviously the backside would be getting less light, but the south-facing horizontal panels won every test until snow covered them so I'd like to know if a south facing vertical panel would be the best of both worlds.

    • @vencdee
      @vencdee Před měsícem

      For south facing vertical panels you don't need bifacials, because the added power from adverse side is low. Therefore the overall cost of such installation is much lower and you can mount it simply on walls or fences pointing south.

    • @Mnluda
      @Mnluda Před 26 dny

      I'm also curious about sun tracking panels. I'm guessing the additional infrastructure makes it not worth it, but I would love to see the data.

  • @GamerLudwig
    @GamerLudwig Před 2 měsíci +4

    Really looking forward to seeing the summer results

  • @malloott
    @malloott Před 2 měsíci +34

    It's amazing ppl like you share these things for free with the rest of us, truly what CZcams is for! Thanks Dave, good research, consise information and great presentation!

    • @ProjectsWithDave
      @ProjectsWithDave  Před 2 měsíci +1

      Thanks!

    • @GilliganRocks
      @GilliganRocks Před 2 měsíci

      I mean, he is making money off the affiliate links and views, so not completely altruistically.
      Which I'm 100% for just saying facts.

    • @malloott
      @malloott Před 2 měsíci +2

      @@GilliganRocks the information is free, his making money of us watching it for free doesn't change that right?
      And I pay premium so it isn't actually free for me 😅

  • @tomcoryell
    @tomcoryell Před 3 měsíci +1

    Hey Dave, Thanks for your great data! I truly appreciate it!

  • @DFPercush
    @DFPercush Před 2 měsíci +6

    Thanks for the awesome science! So many youtubers are doing the hype pieces, but you put in some real work to bring us the raw data.

  • @MadMaxZ06
    @MadMaxZ06 Před 3 měsíci +6

    OUTSTANDING topic and FANTASTIC presentation!!!!!!
    IMPRESSIVE Dave!!

  • @OldManse09
    @OldManse09 Před 3 měsíci +16

    Thank you Dave. I was following the vertical panel story. Your information here explains a lot. I hope you will continue the research. I’ll be watching.

    • @ProjectsWithDave
      @ProjectsWithDave  Před 3 měsíci +2

      That's the great thing about the solar industry, it's constantly changing and improving. Always lots to study. 😀

  • @georgesadallah3341
    @georgesadallah3341 Před 3 měsíci

    Great to see your test results in my part of the country , northeast Ohio. Too many videos are posting test results in the south where sunny days are prevalent. Thx Dave

  • @danielreichoff5853
    @danielreichoff5853 Před 3 měsíci

    I first saw this a few days ago from someone else on the vertical install and think it will good growing vegetables and things used is the way to go thank you.

  • @BrookerDynamics
    @BrookerDynamics Před 3 měsíci +25

    One of the claims is that horizontal panels start overheating and dropping in efficiency. This clips the output similar to what you mention for an undersized inverter/solar charge controller. You may never experience this loss of efficiency in Ohio even during summer.

    • @ProjectsWithDave
      @ProjectsWithDave  Před 3 měsíci +12

      Our summers aren't supper hot, but probably hot enough to see the effect and extrapolate. I'll collect some data this summer.

    • @stuartburns8657
      @stuartburns8657 Před 3 měsíci +6

      This is the explanation I've read. Apparently an extra 2%.
      Doesn't sound a lot, but for large solar farms, it adds up.
      Makes sense, as here in the UK, my Solar is most productive April /May.
      Once we hit June /July they never quite match the early months.
      Heat I guess

    • @clivestainlesssteelwomble7665
      @clivestainlesssteelwomble7665 Před 3 měsíci

      How about a combined array single sided at thirty degrees at the bottom. And bifacial verticals along the top? It puts the bi facials where they can catch the most light from both sides. The single sided units are on top of the ground anyway so very little light gets reflected up under that narrow low triangle. 🤔
      Having tried that you might try the same high low line up but you could space your bi facials E-W as well but to get meaningful results you would have to set up the Two new configurations ..they would have to be constructed and run at the same time in the same field..
      The panels themselves would also need output calibration checks before and after just in case of any production faults or fall off after installation.

    • @Hansen710
      @Hansen710 Před 3 měsíci +5

      this hype started longer north then ohio
      A group of researchers at the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) has conducted a series of tests and simulations to understand why vertical PV systems tend to provide unexpected yield gains compared to horizontal arrays and have found that vertical installations have much lower operating temperatures.
      after all the panels needs to be black to work best and the lower angle also works better in the northern part of the world
      im not sure this kind of experiment makes any sense in the equator area

    • @michaelolayinka441
      @michaelolayinka441 Před 17 dny

      I think horizontal panels will suffer long term, irreversible damage that will reduce their efficiency, while vertical mount panels will have more longevity as they'll suffer less from direct solar ray

  • @Tysto
    @Tysto Před 2 měsíci +9

    I love seeing vertical bi-facial panels used as fencing. It would be cool to see them between bike lanes and car lanes.

    • @bradleylong3230
      @bradleylong3230 Před 2 měsíci +6

      May not be a great idea, cars kick up a significant amount of dirt and dust, and the panels will need to be cleaned often. Plus you've got a lot of heat coming off of pavement which may not be good for panel life, and you'll have a lot of shading from nearby buildings >3 stories. There are much cheaper and efficient places to put solar panels right now.

    • @nlewis1111
      @nlewis1111 Před 2 měsíci

      ​@bradleylong3230 Panels are getting so cheap that even with significant shading, I wonder the cost/benefit of using them as back yard fences- those fences can be very pricy.

    • @lolwtnick4362
      @lolwtnick4362 Před měsícem

      nlewis1111 thats cause they are grossly subsidized. personal fences are silly and will just get damaged by people, rocks, animals etc not to mention all of the trash these things produce to kill the environment. heating up grass starting fires.

  • @davehasenford3985
    @davehasenford3985 Před 23 dny

    Dave - thank you. This is literally the first youtube video I've ever seen about solar where someone actually knew what they were talking about.

  • @miked412
    @miked412 Před 3 měsíci +2

    Interesting.
    Great to see the tech in solar is alive and well!

  • @kitsurubami
    @kitsurubami Před 3 měsíci +3

    your channel is so valuable to all who view it! Thank you.

  • @Roll2Videos
    @Roll2Videos Před 3 měsíci +40

    It will be interesting to see summer results in higher temperatures. Great video, Thanks

    • @ProjectsWithDave
      @ProjectsWithDave  Před 3 měsíci +14

      Yes, I'm curious. I may take temperature data on both panel orientations to see if there is a significant difference.

    • @danielnicholls6868
      @danielnicholls6868 Před 3 měsíci +2

      will be nice to see if mornings and evenings make a difference in summer with the longer days with sun more behind main array. and also facing south with a white wall behind . the farther north longer sunny days in summer. two shine walls at 45 deg at north post might make a fair difference. i see a lot more tests👍👍

    • @Sekir80
      @Sekir80 Před 3 měsíci

      @@ProjectsWithDave Temp monitoring is a great idea! I'd like to see the results, so I've subscribed!

    • @Kytetiger
      @Kytetiger Před 28 dny +1

      Imagine replacing the wooden fens in gardens with these 😮 it doesnt take much more place, and applied to a whole neighbourhood, it could be significant

  • @gdpower456
    @gdpower456 Před 2 měsíci +1

    superb video Dave. Keep up the good work.

  • @marcfruchtman9473
    @marcfruchtman9473 Před 3 měsíci

    Great info. Thanks for taking the time to collate all this amazing data.

  • @veizour
    @veizour Před 3 měsíci +4

    Thank you!!! I've been contemplating vertical mounted panels on a rig that I could wheel around. I don't have much money (or land) so knowing results of actual tests is VERY valuable to me. Thanks for your thorough testing and detail!!!

    • @ProjectsWithDave
      @ProjectsWithDave  Před 3 měsíci +1

      Glad I could help!

    • @chublez
      @chublez Před 2 měsíci

      If you're doing a mobile rig why not just face the sun? These solutions seem tailored for permanent installation.

    • @sc149
      @sc149 Před měsícem

      ​@@chublezMobile isnt the same as automated!
      A wheeled and anchoring rack will get a lot more if you optomize it even only once every few weeks, with minimal added conplexity.
      But a fully self orienting system is a lot different work.

  • @natehill8069
    @natehill8069 Před 3 měsíci +9

    I like your pile driver; the Kubota with a bucket full of rocks!

  • @Paul-cj1wb
    @Paul-cj1wb Před 3 měsíci

    Great video, Dave. Thank you for making it.

  • @diegofernandez4789
    @diegofernandez4789 Před 2 měsíci +1

    I'm about to install solar next year. Thanks for the information, I'll definitely see more videos from your channel.

  • @putteslaintxtbks5166
    @putteslaintxtbks5166 Před 3 měsíci +8

    I look forward to see how the horizontals will work during the hot summer months. I could see how have some in both ways (hybred) could even out different types of weather. The use as a fence opens up alot of possible locations for solar.

    • @marwerno
      @marwerno Před 2 měsíci +1

      I would guess they would also get better result in summer since the sun does not hit the surface as much in the hottest time of the day and are probably better exposed to the wind, cooling them down more.

  • @pranavswaroop4291
    @pranavswaroop4291 Před 3 měsíci +11

    Thank you for sharing. You have no idea how much this sort of unbiased information can help people who are not so sure what works and what doesn't. By sharing, you're making a difference to global warming beyond just your array!

  • @nieldcreek2098
    @nieldcreek2098 Před 3 měsíci

    You are a great data collector! Thank you for sharing what you learn

  • @DeckEdge
    @DeckEdge Před 3 měsíci

    So pumped you did this!

  • @Vakilando
    @Vakilando Před 2 měsíci +5

    I think this changes dramatically in the summer and in hotter climates, because from what I've seen so far, the better cooling of the vertical panels also has a huge effect. And especially in places where you would not want to install traditional panels, such as on farmland, it is a great option to install panels at all AND it even provides a better microclimate and conditions for some farms. I guess as always: The mix is important and choosing the right orientation for the individual situation. Thanks for the video and these insights. It's really helpful to see this real life measurement.

  • @vorgon
    @vorgon Před 3 měsíci +16

    Not likely a problem in the cold areas, but sun heating of horizontal panels is also a factor because as the panels get hotter, their output goes down. From what I have heard, the reduced output due to hot panels is another plus for vertical panels. they don't heat up as much.

    • @PandorasFolly
      @PandorasFolly Před 3 měsíci +1

      Research simulations also theorizes their is an increase of cooling because one side is in shade. Also the vertical arrangment creates a kind of "chimney" effect in the air allowing more passive coolsing.

    • @SetitesTechAdventures
      @SetitesTechAdventures Před 3 měsíci +1

      This is a point I'd like to see tested as I've seen that research too. Everyone is on about spreading the output and the albedo which is great. But I am most excited about the cooling as heat is the big enemy in solar output and lifespan

    • @ProjectsWithDave
      @ProjectsWithDave  Před 3 měsíci +1

      The chimney effect is probably significant.

    • @MadRat70
      @MadRat70 Před 3 měsíci +1

      @@ProjectsWithDave how about the impact of wind?

  • @diepurpledino
    @diepurpledino Před 3 měsíci

    Good to see you got to test this - I mentioned vertical arrays in your comments a year or so ago. I saw another video on vertical a couple days ago that pointed out one key advantage to vertical panels - morning and evening temperatures are lower than mid-day - the decreased panel efficiency due to panel temperature was limiting the south-facing panels versus the vertical tests. I think the temperature related losses amounted to 3%.

  • @keithcress1335
    @keithcress1335 Před 3 měsíci +1

    Dave, another outstanding video! You answered all my immediate vertical mount questions! Thank you very much.

  • @steffybael1245
    @steffybael1245 Před 2 měsíci +6

    face them vertical facing south, on the north side, you put mirrors on "heliosta'st" (like a solar tracker but directs the light reflected from a mirror onto 1 spot all day long) and focus the light so it hits the entire back side of the panel.
    this was the panel gets the same sun light on the back side as the front gets!
    heliostat is usually used to shine the sun into a north facing window or to focus the sun from many mirrors onto 1 spot to heat something in a solar concentrator!

    • @Aenkor1982
      @Aenkor1982 Před 2 měsíci +1

      Good Idea but heliostats are expensive and for diy you need knowledge and/or adjust Them from time to time.

    • @RobertSzasz
      @RobertSzasz Před 2 měsíci

      Add more panels instead of heliostats?

  • @leebrandt2631
    @leebrandt2631 Před 2 měsíci +4

    I wouldn't stand right next the the stake being driven into the ground by the bucket... hold it with a pole or a piece of strut from a distance. Far too many things that could break, snap, or slip and result in an ER visit.

  • @alphagoat1314
    @alphagoat1314 Před 2 měsíci

    Good to watch, glad I don't have snow to worry about.

  • @Marcasecas
    @Marcasecas Před 2 měsíci +1

    It’s wonderful to see openminded people.
    Very interesting.

  • @BradCagle
    @BradCagle Před 3 měsíci +2

    Great video, thanks for experimenting with this. Have you thought about possible reflected gain from these being in multiple rows? I'm thinking one row might catch reflections from the row in front, and the row behind it. Thanks again, very informative!

    • @ProjectsWithDave
      @ProjectsWithDave  Před 3 měsíci

      Thanks!
      I think you will also see some additional shading in the early morning and late evening depending on row pitch. The shading could more than cancel any reflective benefit.

    • @awasilenko
      @awasilenko Před 3 měsíci

      Could there be some sort of case for densely packed almost vertical panels like pleats of an air filter, that would surely put out some interesting numbers in high noon, higher than just a single plane of panels for the same sq ft? I'm trying to optimize for space, I got lots of panels and no space to put them.

  • @wkinne1
    @wkinne1 Před 3 měsíci +3

    Ever try reflective ground cover, like the foil covered bubble insulation? The stuff I am talking about provides a R value of 6.

    • @TheGuruStud
      @TheGuruStud Před 3 měsíci +5

      sun will destroy it, just get bright white rock

    • @ProjectsWithDave
      @ProjectsWithDave  Před 3 měsíci +1

      I haven't tried it. I'm sure it would be helpful, but not very practical from a durability stand point.

    • @sebastiant5695
      @sebastiant5695 Před 3 měsíci +1

      people are putting vertical arrays between rows of white foil covered greenhouses and shelters (quonset hut tarp)

  • @joshuatreepower
    @joshuatreepower Před 3 měsíci +1

    Awesome work Dave!

  • @CUBETechie
    @CUBETechie Před 2 měsíci +2

    Especially for snow it's amazing because it reflect so much

  • @jerkychew899
    @jerkychew899 Před 3 měsíci +6

    You and @UndecidedMF seem to be mind-readers lately.
    One scenario that you should test (I may have missed it) - vertical-mount panels for people that don't have a good view to the south. If I understood correctly, your panels are facing east/west. Suddenly, ground-mount-with-white-stones might be an option for a ton of new customers.

    • @ProjectsWithDave
      @ProjectsWithDave  Před 3 měsíci

      They face E/W but you still need sun exposure from the south.

  • @jvin248
    @jvin248 Před 3 měsíci +13

    Looks great Dave. Be sure to look into vineyard trellis orientations (which prefer NS rows, like your panels facing EW, with spacing between rows set to maximize light/minimize row to row shading). Putting cattle around solar panels as one photo showed will be problematic as the cattle will scratch against and destroy the posts and panels, which may mean a higher mounting solution so the cattle only hit the posts, but does the ground reflected light reach high mounted panels? Same if growing corn or sunflowers between panels so may be limited to short crops like beans. What crops are most/least light reflective? Which livestock are most light reflective (white chickens and ducks!).

    • @ProjectsWithDave
      @ProjectsWithDave  Před 3 měsíci +1

      White birds, I love it! 😂
      I agree cows may not be a great livestock for solar panels. Also tall crops like corn would not make sense. Grains, maybe soybeans. Someone needs to do a crop performance comparison. I would like to know if the reduced sun exposure is enough to significantly reduce crop production. Seems like the crops that would work well with solar would be a limited list.

    • @CorwinPatrick
      @CorwinPatrick Před 3 měsíci +1

      @@ProjectsWithDave I doubt there is any reduced light exposure for crops. You might even have a longer winter growing day with the early morning and late afternoon reflected light from the panels

    • @freddymax5256
      @freddymax5256 Před 3 měsíci +2

      If you could install a temporary electrical shock on the panels it would not take long for the cattle stop touching them. On electric fences they learn pretty quick. One or two snaps and they won’t go back and you can shut the power off.

    • @nlewis1111
      @nlewis1111 Před 2 měsíci

      ​@freddymax5256 That's exactly what I was going to say. Should be pretty easy to incorporate since you have an electricity source right there.
      The other major advantage is that Nimbyism has to be greatly reduced. How could people complain about a fence? Not like barbed wire or electric fences are things of beauty.

    • @nlewis1111
      @nlewis1111 Před 2 měsíci

      I do wonder how they get the right series/parallel voltages. Seems like you would have some issues with extremely long wire runs/unbalanced voltage drops.

  • @tulsatrash
    @tulsatrash Před 2 měsíci

    Looking forward to watching the summer and spring results when autumn rolls around.

  • @gsftom
    @gsftom Před 3 měsíci

    Great video. Am interested to see yr results throughout the year. Thx for sharing.

  • @NitePHX
    @NitePHX Před 3 měsíci +10

    Spent my first 40 years in the Cleveland, OH area and the past 20 in the Phoenix, AZ area. There does come a point where we start praying for cloudy days :-) Would loved to have seen the output results from horizontally mounted panels or horizontal minus 10 degrees towards the South during the winter solstice. Thinking about building a pergola type structure in the back yard and using bi-facial panels for the top of the pergola. The pergola would be 11' on one end and around 7' on the other which gives me about 10 degrees of slope over the length. Would provide some much needed filtered shade from the sun as well as power my house. Unlike your situation, I need the most power during the summer months for cooling. I really do enjoy and look forward to your videos. Thanks for taking us along on your journey.

    • @ProjectsWithDave
      @ProjectsWithDave  Před 3 měsíci +1

      Great idea, I'll consider how to test this for a future video.

    • @Hansen710
      @Hansen710 Před 3 měsíci

      buildings with round roofs provide all angels needed for all seasons..
      we need to start to build our houses so the look like greenhouse tunnels
      a garden rack would probetly also make sense to some people in a more round/bended version

    • @papparocket
      @papparocket Před 3 měsíci +1

      Interesting. I spent my first 28 in Phoenix and my last 36 in Cleveland. I actually prefer Cleveland weather. Summers are really nice and in winter I can put on an extra layer if it gets cold. In Phoenix there is an absolute limit on how much I could take off. The one thing I absolutely do miss about Arizona is the mountains and the long distances to the horizon. In my last house in Phoenix I could lay in bed and see 4 Peaks 40 miles away through my bedroom window, or standing on top of Camelback Mountain and see the entire city. Here in the western suburbs of Cleveland, the horizon is the first row of trees. A person can get a little claustrophobic and so every couple of years I have to go back if just to get my "mountain fix" as my wife calls it.
      BTW, love the idea of a putting a pitch on the roof of a pergola as a place to put 100 ft2 or so of solar cells.

    • @NitePHX
      @NitePHX Před 3 měsíci +2

      @@papparocket Grew up on the West side of Cleveland in Lakewood. Now live in Mesa. One of the first things you notice here is how far you can see. At night, from our back yard, we show visitors the red tower lights on South Mountain and they are in disbelief when I tell them those towers are 26 miles away.

    • @papparocket
      @papparocket Před 3 měsíci +1

      @@NitePHX I grew up in Scottsdale and now live in Westlake.

  • @jameshancock
    @jameshancock Před 3 měsíci +9

    Anyone tried this on a hill or mountain where you have clear visibility to the horizon below you east and west? I’d guess that it would dramatically expand harvest and change the metric.
    But would love to know for sure.

    • @nlewis1111
      @nlewis1111 Před 2 měsíci

      Also probably a good place for a wind turbine.

    • @jameshancock
      @jameshancock Před 2 měsíci

      @@nlewis1111 they’re basically never worth it at small scale.

  • @FatherOfTheParty
    @FatherOfTheParty Před 3 měsíci

    Great stuff, Dave! Thanks for producing and sharing this information!

  • @Jennifer-007
    @Jennifer-007 Před 3 měsíci

    GREAT video, you just saved me a ton of work, i was about to put in a bunch of vertical bi facials… wow

  • @PeaceChanel
    @PeaceChanel Před 3 měsíci +6

    Thank You for supporting Solar and for All that you are doing for our Planet Earth....
    Peace.. Shalom.. Salam.. Namaste 🙏🏻 😊 🌈 ✌ ☮ ❤

  • @TheGuruStud
    @TheGuruStud Před 3 měsíci +5

    I've noticed something that NO ONE does even when they have tons of room like you. Space bifacials 6" or so from each other allowing lots of sun to reflect on the back (of course using white rock underneath would maximize benefits). Shading problem solved! It also relieves some wind force.
    Small scale testing could be done with plywood used to simulate panels on the edges. Vary the gap size to see what's the best size vs performance curve. I bet on sunny days there's a huge boost.

    • @spankeyfish
      @spankeyfish Před 3 měsíci

      It makes racking them more complex and expensive, though.

    • @ProjectsWithDave
      @ProjectsWithDave  Před 3 měsíci

      I believe the increased cost of racking would negate any benefit.

    • @TheGuruStud
      @TheGuruStud Před 3 měsíci +1

      How so? Most people don't have more than 20 panels (double row so 10 wide). Total width would only increase 4.5 ft with 6" gaps.
      Yours would increase 9.5 ft, but with all the money you spent on that metal, it's not much of an increase, especially if your output is boosted 25% in winter. (looks like you'd have to add in 2 more sections).
      DIY wood mount would be negligible increase.

    • @evrythingis1
      @evrythingis1 Před měsícem

      @@TheGuruStud DIY wood mount would also be worthless.

  • @albinoadrianocordeiro9929
    @albinoadrianocordeiro9929 Před 3 měsíci +1

    Dude, your videos are great!

  • @e6ensperception
    @e6ensperception Před 3 měsíci

    This guy is one of the mvps for solar knowledge

  • @FengG0
    @FengG0 Před 2 měsíci +3

    Paint the ground white!

  • @jonnycoolg
    @jonnycoolg Před 3 měsíci +1

    Love this data! I've git a fence im thinking of converting partially to this as i dont have other great places to ground mount or roof mount. Looking forward to the follow up!

  • @tjmooney4181
    @tjmooney4181 Před 3 měsíci

    Awesome video, thanks so much for doing all this comparison for us 🙏

  • @whatthefunction9140
    @whatthefunction9140 Před 3 měsíci +13

    Put some Mirrors 🪞 on the ground

    • @lovewenwin
      @lovewenwin Před 20 dny +5

      I want to see that

    • @LP-MeAndMyShadow
      @LP-MeAndMyShadow Před 18 dny +4

      Or two tilted 3"x36" mounted just under the panel off the ground.

    • @jasonz7788
      @jasonz7788 Před 17 dny +1

      Great idea

    • @mattg432
      @mattg432 Před 15 dny +3

      Water will do.

    • @artsmith103
      @artsmith103 Před 14 dny

      ​@@jasonz7788Are you going to pay for the silver?

  • @mattbrew11
    @mattbrew11 Před 3 měsíci +3

    How do yall watch these videos without ad blockers? It would be insufferable

    • @evrythingis1
      @evrythingis1 Před měsícem

      The only people who can tolerate youtube with ads in any capacity are children and boomers.

    • @SjaakSchulteis
      @SjaakSchulteis Před měsícem

      Simply buy a subscription. It's very cheap and you don't see ads..

    • @evrythingis1
      @evrythingis1 Před měsícem

      @@SjaakSchulteis Ok Boomer.

    • @SjaakSchulteis
      @SjaakSchulteis Před měsícem

      @@evrythingis1 So everyone is a Boomer? You just wrote that anyone who can watch with ads are children and boomers. I say to buy a subscription, then you call me Boomer too? So who is it? 😂😂

    • @mattbrew11
      @mattbrew11 Před měsícem

      @@SjaakSchulteis I dont see the ads I just know when they how often they would have occurred

  • @GreyDeathVaccine
    @GreyDeathVaccine Před 3 měsíci

    Just wow. Great content. Subscribed immediately. Thx man.

  • @GREGGRCO
    @GREGGRCO Před 3 měsíci

    Crazy. Look look ! Blue sky in the back ground ! --- Fellow Ohioian.
    Thank You for these tests !

  • @geoffdmytruk6604
    @geoffdmytruk6604 Před 2 měsíci

    I was wondering this myself. I live 53° north, and the summer sun rises in the northeast. It made me wonder about flat or vertical installs in the summer. I can't wait to see what you get!

  • @Sylvan_dB
    @Sylvan_dB Před 3 měsíci

    I've been intrigued by the theory! Thanks for your tests and report. I may need to put in a new array...

  • @randomzocker8956
    @randomzocker8956 Před 2 měsíci

    Congratulation on your channel blowing up

  • @BJL2142
    @BJL2142 Před 3 měsíci

    nice video, keen for the hot season test results

  • @alexlovett1991
    @alexlovett1991 Před 3 měsíci

    Very interesting. I’ve vertically mounted some south facing standard panels on my house. Just used unistrut and some bolts.
    Not connected them yet but an excited to see what they manage vs roof mounted.

  • @volkerbosch9078
    @volkerbosch9078 Před 3 měsíci

    Oh what a wonderful job ! Great work. Greetings from Germany 🇩🇪

  • @Andrew-jm4tp
    @Andrew-jm4tp Před 3 měsíci +1

    I have found the same thing in my testing. Not having to clean snow off my panels is a huge benefit to me. I live in northern Montana. Sometimes I have to clean my south facing panels several times a day.

    • @dave882
      @dave882 Před 2 měsíci +1

      Way up there it would be great to see the results after a year of half the panels hung vertically facing south vs whatever racks you have. Seems like a simple idea to replace long fence lines with vertical panels, low maintenance and no land lost.

  • @simonmeszaros2770
    @simonmeszaros2770 Před 2 měsíci +1

    What you brought up is amazing. I love simplicity and you dig into core. Definitely bifacial panel is something which needs attenation and broadens user cases for installation. Thanks for making an effort to share your findings. Cheers.

  • @stalwart56k
    @stalwart56k Před měsícem

    Really appreciate this information!!!

  • @ernstlemm9379
    @ernstlemm9379 Před 2 měsíci

    Great thinking out of the box!

  • @jps99
    @jps99 Před 21 dnem

    Thanks for this excellent presentation. Lots to take in from your experiment.

  • @FuncleChuck
    @FuncleChuck Před 3 měsíci

    Honestly this is such a good thing for solar - vertical panels are so much simpler, I’d love a solar fence!

  • @zmarko
    @zmarko Před 3 měsíci +1

    Great experiment, Dave! Excellent info!

  • @elmakcnc5960
    @elmakcnc5960 Před 2 měsíci

    Superb test! thank you for this😊

  • @pj3200
    @pj3200 Před 15 dny

    the chart of the vertical panels is great from an energy demand perspective, where you see peaks in morning & evening with dip in the middle...great work!

  • @flycrack7686
    @flycrack7686 Před 2 měsíci +1

    Greetings from Germany. You put alot of work into it and got some nice results. thanks.

  • @crchetann
    @crchetann Před 2 měsíci

    Thank you so much sir. For this crystal clear clarity

  • @PacoSS67
    @PacoSS67 Před 2 měsíci +1

    I think that there is a good combo for your weather: 60º panels in East/West azimuth, like the vertical ones.
    Very good and clear info, thanks a lot.

  • @PhysicsKApplications
    @PhysicsKApplications Před 2 měsíci

    Nice expalnation being a researcer in solar cell technology i understood it very well. I have made bifacial solar module in our physics laboratory.

  • @flack3
    @flack3 Před měsícem

    Great video! Got yourself a new subscriber!

  • @am-fil
    @am-fil Před měsícem

    Well this is a fantastic study, I certainly wish I could find a study for the equator. Since in a few short months I will be building there.

  • @garylpretty
    @garylpretty Před 3 měsíci

    My first time that I have commented. I have been doing a great deal of research on this subject. 2 key takeaways, bifacial is generally the better choice, and having a toolbox of solutions for the unique environment offer great benefits for a given system. I look forward to the summer testing, I think the heat aspect, and clipping issues will give the vertical mount some interesting results.
    Thanks for the great information share!

  • @id104335409
    @id104335409 Před 9 dny

    Now THAT is valuable content. If only all of the CZcams videos were like that ..

  • @Simonb1977
    @Simonb1977 Před měsícem

    @ProjectsWithDave. You can also place some cheap mirrors to maximes the input..

  • @mzimmerman1988
    @mzimmerman1988 Před měsícem

    excellent work.. thank you for sharing

  • @tibbified
    @tibbified Před 3 měsíci +1

    I am in Wasilla and was thinking about putting some of these panels in. I dont have a ton of usable space for something like this on my acre lot. So I think these might be the perfect solution. Especially since winter is when I need power the most.

  • @ll1881ll
    @ll1881ll Před 2 měsíci +1

    Wow dude, awesome work and data

  • @stevepailet8258
    @stevepailet8258 Před 3 měsíci

    super information and it is why I contacted you. It is what I expected though for some applications like three and four story buildings where there is only limited space or high rise buildings with reflective glass walls I could easily imagine they would perform nicely

    • @ProjectsWithDave
      @ProjectsWithDave  Před 3 měsíci

      Thanks. High rise buildings would not be able to take advantage of the back side boost like an open array can.

    • @stevepailet8258
      @stevepailet8258 Před 3 měsíci

      @@ProjectsWithDave Was thinking more about putting panels out board perhaps a foot so that they can capture sunlight from reflection from the glass. Just my oddball thoughts

  • @luvdogsandhorses
    @luvdogsandhorses Před 3 měsíci

    IMO
    outstanding presentation !

  • @rodrigomohr1277
    @rodrigomohr1277 Před 2 měsíci +1

    Great analysis!

  • @borja-academiaenergiasolar
    @borja-academiaenergiasolar Před 3 měsíci

    Awesome results and very good job!

  • @mostlyguesses8385
    @mostlyguesses8385 Před 3 měsíci

    Thanks for awesome research

  • @zbigniewteterycz1571
    @zbigniewteterycz1571 Před 2 měsíci

    SUPER IDEA . POZDRAWIAM SERDECZNIE .

  • @kevingearyart
    @kevingearyart Před 4 dny

    Thank you so much for this amazingly informative video!

  • @ParksWithPoints
    @ParksWithPoints Před 3 měsíci

    Great overview, thanks for sharing. Got me thinking about my next array

  • @user82938
    @user82938 Před 3 měsíci

    thanks for your work.