Just make sure that you paint the bottles black or dark blue and that you mix extra perlite into your soil.
Also of note is making holes in the lower side bottoms of the bottles as well as the actual bottom to encourage better drainage.
All though i dont have any links i do know of people that do this as like you said the height of the bottles yet their thinness allows you to pack slightly more plants in than regular pots.
This is a successful way to grow in the manner that you speak of,best of luck