Assessment of photovoltaic performance and carbon emission reduction potential of bifacial PV systems for regional grids in China

•Performance evaluation of bifacial PV systems incorporating dynamic albedo.•Study of the optimal installation angle of bifacial PV systems in the Chinese grid.•Prediction of carbon reduction potential for bifacial PV systems on life cycle.•Comparison between optimal fixed tilt and biannual tilt angle adjustment. Bifacial PV modules, capable of generating electricity from both sides, are highly efficient but vulnerable to environmental factors. This study investigated the photovoltaic performance characteristics and carbon emission reduction potential of bifacial PV systems, considering China's regional power grid independence, environmental diversity, variations in carbon emission factors, and daily fluctuations in albedo. When the installed capacities of bifacial and monofacial PV systems are 253.80 Wp/m2 and 235.00 Wp/m2 respectively, the initial annual electricity generation of the bifacial PV system installed in Beijing is 461.11 kWh/m2, which is only 83.95 % of that in Lhasa, but the corresponding carbon reduction in Beijing exceeds that of Lhasa by 11.13 %, amounting to 407.75 kgCO2. These indicate significant regional disparities in both the electricity generation capacity and carbon reduction potential of PV systems. Furthermore, compared to fixed installations, adjusting the tilt angles twice a year can increase the annual electricity generation of bifacial PV systems by approximately 2.37 %-3.17 % and monofacial PV systems by approximately 2.23 %-3.83 %. The research findings offer valuable insights regarding the impact of regional climate and grid characteristics on bifacial PV systems, thereby providing a reliable reference for optimizing their design and enhancing performance.