As investors get comfortable, supply could be bifacial solar’s next challenge

Bifacial solar is becoming ‘the default choice for tracker’ projects but a supply crunch could now loom. Even before the US excluded bifacial solar panels from the Section 201 tariffs last week, Joe Song, VP of Project Operations for EPC and developer Sol Systems said bifacial modules had been rapidly growing in use.“In general, high-efficiency, high-energy-harvest solutions have largely become the de facto choice for most applications, and bifacial technology fits within that category,” he said. “Even prior to any tariff exemption, bifacial was quickly becoming the default choice for most tracker projects.”While the technology is not new and volume production has been running for a few years now, the challenge has been providing sufficient data covering the electricity generation from the rear side of the module to make investors comfortable. Song says that situation is easing up now.“In short, yes, there is confidence that bifacial technology can be financed, as it is already happening. Momentum for bifacial is building, exemption or no exemption.” Many of these projects financed so far are being banked with zero, or effectively zero power considered from the back with a view to refinancing one the site has proven itself.