The Yuma company is known for its high-quality balcony power plants. With the Yuma Basic (1980+) Bifacial, the manufacturer is bringing to the market a PV set that impresses with light absorption on both sides. Unlike classic solar modules, the glass-glass panels of the 1980+ Bifacial can also capture sunlight from the back and generate electricity from it. According to Yuma, this should increase the yield by up to 30 percent, which means that users can now go beyond the legally permitted 2000 Wp. Legal, illegal, anything? We took a closer look at the Bifacial BKW.
What are the key features of Yuma Basic (1980+) Bifacial?
- Bifacial technology to record light even on the back of the module
- Long-lasting glass-to-glass modules with a 40-year guarantee
- Compact complete set with modules, inverter and accessories
- Easy assembly and commissioning due to good instructions
- Smart yield assessment via app and optional power measuring socket
The Yuma Basic (1980+) bifacial currently costs only 1029 euros 829 euros As a complete package.
What’s included and how easy is it to set up?
Yuma Basic (1980+) Bifacial offers different sets for different installation locations. We tested the version for flat roofs (Flat). In addition to the four bifacial 495-watt modules (all black), the scope of delivery includes an 800-watt inverter from Hoymiles (HMS 800W-2T, no DTU required), Y-connector, extension cable and 4 coated and continuous 18 to 22 degree tilt brackets included. There is an optional long connection cable and a smart measuring socket from Mystrom. The modules are slightly longer (approx. 2 m instead of 1.7 m) and are therefore about 2.2 m² in size. But even on the roof this is not a problem, since the 2 m² limit is reduced from 2024 onwards.
Thanks to the good instructions, assembling the BKW is very easy, even for laymen. Since the complicated setup of the DTU is no longer necessary, there are no problems here. The power plant is operational after about an hour, but with two people it is faster. The holder holds the glass-glass module securely without bending the fragile frame. Note: To protect against wind, the height should be reduced by weights (eg paving slabs). According to the manufacturer, the height is not suitable for the highest wind area of the North Sea.
How much yield and performance does the Yuma Basic (1980+) Bifacial provide?
According to the manufacturer, bifacial technology should provide about 30 percent more yield than standard PV panels. However, the effect depends largely on the installation location. The brighter the background, the more light reflects off the back of the modules. The lawn produces only 8-10 percent additional yield, while gravel or white sand yield up to 25 percent. The Yuma Basic (1980+) bifacial theoretically produces up to 2572 Wp, but only the 1800 watts implied in the name are certain. This is why you can legally operate the BKW despite the theoretical output of over 2000 watts.
During the test setup, the modules were at a very short distance from the ground, which meant that the additional scattered light could only penetrate to a limited extent. The bad weather over the North Sea, reminiscent of autumn, also meant that it was difficult to draw any conclusions about the additional yield with indirect sunlight. Nevertheless, compared to the nominally strong monofacial BKW, we were able to measure a gain of around 5% in cloudy weather. Just a few hours of sunlight during the test resulted in an increase of more than 15 percent.
“ARA – History Untold”: The crucial strategy hit for “Civilization” fans
Is the extra charge for the Yuma Basic (1980+) Bifacial worth it?
At around 830 euros plus connection cable, optional power metering socket and shipping, the Yuma Basic (1980+) bifacial is hardly more expensive than the competition’s monofacial systems. Yuma is so confident of the bifacial technology that the provider no longer has any other modules in its range. If you add an additional 30 percent income, the BKW will pay for itself after just 2.5 years. Even without any benefits from bifaciality, the long-lasting and low-corrosion glass-glass modules with a 40-year guarantee far more than compensate for the extra cost. Monofacial sets often offer only 12 years on product and 20 or 25 years on performance.
Calculated using the plug-in solar simulator from HTW Berlin, the payback period is approximately 4 years. The basis is the southern direction, a moderate electricity price of 30 cents with a 5 percent increase per year and only 1980 Wp, since no more than the permitted 2000 Wp can be specified. In purely mathematical terms, the actual amortization period is even shorter due to the bifurcated system if it is set up accordingly. Theoretically, the savings are 485 euros per year with the optimal yield.
price
The Yuma Basic (1980+) bifacial currently costs only 1029 euros 829 euros As a complete package. In addition, there are at least 20 euros for the connection cable for the inverter, shipping and optionally the measuring socket.
conclusion
Mixed test weather did not allow the advantages of the bifacial Yuma BKW to be fully appreciated. But even in cloudy conditions, it showed a yield gain of around 5 percent, and for a short time it was even around 20 percent. Above all, the 1980+ bifacial impresses with its enormous longevity and guaranteed performance thanks to the glass-glass module. The small additional cost compared to the competition’s monofacial models is definitely worth it – especially with the additional yield due to light absorption on both sides. We have explained how to do this best in our guide to bifacial PV modules.
More exciting tests on photovoltaics and balcony power plants can be found in our PV topic world. Included:
