Add bifacial scaling to Townsend snow loss model

docs/sphinx/source/whatsnew/v0.15.2.rst

@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ Bug fixes
 
 Enhancements
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~
+* Add the ``front_side_fraction`` parameter to
+  :py:func:`pvlib.snow.loss_townsend` to support Townsend snow-loss
+  workflows for bifacial systems. (:issue:`2755`, :pull:`2756`)
+
 * Added mapping of the parameter ``"albedo"`` in
   :py:func:`~pvlib.iotools.get_nasa_power` when ``map_variables=True``
   (:pull:`2753`)
@@ -60,5 +64,6 @@ Contributors
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~
 * :ghuser:`Omesh37`
 * Cliff Hansen (:ghuser:`cwhanse`)
+* :ghuser:`shethkajal7`
 * Arthur Onno (:ghuser:`ArthurOnnoTerabase`)
 * Adam R. Jensen (:ghuser:`AdamRJensen`)

pvlib/snow.py

@@ -248,7 +248,8 @@ def _townsend_effective_snow(snow_total, snow_events):
 
 def loss_townsend(snow_total, snow_events, surface_tilt, relative_humidity,
                   temp_air, poa_global, slant_height, lower_edge_height,
-                  string_factor=1.0, angle_of_repose=40):
+                  string_factor=1.0, angle_of_repose=40,
+                  front_side_fraction=1.0):
     '''
     Calculates monthly snow loss based on the Townsend monthly snow loss
     model.
@@ -293,6 +294,12 @@ def loss_townsend(snow_total, snow_events, surface_tilt, relative_humidity,
         Piled snow angle, assumed to stabilize at 40°, the midpoint of
         25°-55° avalanching slope angles. [deg]
 
+    front_side_fraction : numeric or array-like, default 1.0
+        Fraction of monthly energy from front-side insolation. [unitless]
+        Multiplies the calculated loss fraction. For example,
+        use 0.9 when 90% of monthly energy is from the front side
+        of a bifacial system and 10% is from the rear side.
+
     Returns
     -------
     loss : array-like
@@ -310,6 +317,10 @@ def loss_townsend(snow_total, snow_events, surface_tilt, relative_humidity,
     publication of [1]_, as described in [2]_.
     The definition for snow events documented above is based on [3]_.
 
+    For bifacial systems, [2]_ recommends including both front-side and
+    rear-side insolation in ``poa_global``. The resulting loss is
+    scaled by the front-side energy fraction ``front_side_fraction``.
+
     References
     ----------
     .. [1] Townsend, Tim & Powers, Loren. (2011). Photovoltaics and snow: An
@@ -384,4 +395,6 @@ def loss_townsend(snow_total, snow_events, surface_tilt, relative_humidity,
         * string_factor
     )
 
+    loss_fraction = loss_fraction * front_side_fraction
+
     return np.clip(loss_fraction, 0, 1)

tests/test_snow.py

@@ -247,3 +247,28 @@
         poa_global, slant_height, lower_edge_height, string_factor)
     actual = np.around(actual * 100)
     assert np.allclose(expected, actual)
+
+
+def test_loss_townsend_front_side_fraction():
+    snow_total = np.array([25.4, 25.4, 12.7, 2.54, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 12.7,
+                           25.4])
+    snow_events = np.array([2, 2, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 2, 3])
+    surface_tilt = 20
+    relative_humidity = np.full(12, 80)
+    temp_air = np.full(12, 0)
+    poa_global = np.full(12, 350000)
+    slant_height = 2.54
+    lower_edge_height = 0.254
+    front_side_fraction = 0.9
+
+    unadjusted = snow.loss_townsend(
+        snow_total, snow_events, surface_tilt, relative_humidity, temp_air,
+        poa_global, slant_height, lower_edge_height)
+
+    adjusted = snow.loss_townsend(
+        snow_total, snow_events, surface_tilt, relative_humidity, temp_air,
+        poa_global, slant_height, lower_edge_height,
+        front_side_fraction=front_side_fraction)
+
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(adjusted, unadjusted * front_side_fraction)
+