Bifacial Photovoltaic (bPV) technology is rapidly becoming the standard in the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry due to its ability to capture reflected radiation and generate additional energy. This experimental study analyses the electrical performance of bPV modules under specific installation conditions, including varying heights, module tilt angles (MTA), and surface reflectivity. The methodology combines controlled indoor testing with outdoor experiments that replicate real-world operating environments. The outdoor test setup was carefully designed and included dual data acquisition systems: one with independent sensors and another with wireless telemetry for data transfer from the inverter. A thermal performance model was used to estimate energy output and was benchmarked against experimental measurements. All electrical parameters were obtained in accordance with international standards, including current-voltage characteristic (I–V curve) corrections, using calibrated instruments to monitor irradiance and temperature. Indoor measurements under Standard Test Conditions yielded at bifaciality coefficient $\phi =0.732$, a rear bifacial power gain $BiFi=0.285$, and a relative bifacial gain $BiF{i}_{rel}=9.4\%$. The outdoor configuration employed volcanic red stone (Tezontle) as a reflective surface, simulating a typical mid-latitude installation with modules mounted 1.5 m above ground, tilted from 0° to 90° regarding floor and oriented true south. The study was conducted at a site located at 18.8° N latitude during the early summer season. Results revealed significant non-uniformity in rear-side irradiance, with a 32% variation between the lower edge and the centre of the bPV module. The thermal model used to determine electrical performance provides power values higher than those measured in the time interval between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Maximum energy output was observed at a MTA of $0°$, which closely aligns with the optimal summer tilt angle for the site’s latitude. Bifacial energy gain decreased as the MTA increased from $0°$ to $90°$. These findings offer practical, data-driven insights for optimizing bPV installations, particularly in regions between $15°$ and $30°$ north latitude, and emphasize the importance of tailored surface designs to maximize performance.

Due to the increase in demand for electricity, global warming and energy sustainability, there has been a significant increase in the use of renewable energy technologies. This can be seen in reports from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), which in 2018 reported a total world electricity generation capacity of 2,356,346 MW with technologies based on these energy sources. These data constitute a sustained annual growth over the last five years of between 8 and 9 % (IRENA, 2019, p. 2). Therefore, the use of these technologies is a strategy adopted worldwide to reduce both the dependence on fossil fuels and the environmental impact of electricity generation.

This paper presents the results of the electrical evaluation of a triple-junction solar cell obtained under two different lighting concentration systems: one using a solar simulator with an ellipsoid concentrator and the other using a parabolic concentrator solar furnace, both providing different concentration levels, from 220 to 670 suns inside of a surface of 1 × 1 cm², which correspond to the triple-union solar cell area. A characterization system using an automatized XY table was designed to put the solar cell at different position from the concentration systems, allowing the sample under study to be positioned in the center of the light beam where the concentrated radiative flux is most uniform. It was found that for the solar cell under study, using the solar simulator, the electric efficiency (η) behavior has a trend to reduce when the radiative flux concentration increases from 265 to 670 suns with a (η) values of 32.1% and 22.4%, respectively; while using the solar furnace, the η was around 30%. For the solar furnace, efficiency was around 30% in almost all concentration levels.