Unit 4

Unit 4
The Solar Resource

Introduction
Solar radiation, often called the solar resource or just sunlight, is a general term for the
electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun. Solar radiation can be captured and turned into
useful forms of energy, such as heat and electricity, using a variety of technologies. However,
the technical feasibility and economical operation of these technologies at a specific location
depends on the available solar resource.
Basic Principles
Every location on Earth receives sunlight at least part of the year. The amount of solar
radiation that reaches any one spot on the Earth's surface varies according to:
 Geographic location
 Time of day
 Season
 Local landscape
 Local weather.
Because the Earth is round, the sun strikes the surface at different angles, ranging from 0°
(just above the horizon) to 90° (directly overhead). When the sun's rays are vertical, the
Earth's surface gets all the energy possible. The more slanted the sun's rays are, the longer
they travel through the atmosphere, becoming more scattered and diffuse. Because the Earth
is round, the frigid polar regions never get a high sun, and because of the tilted axis of
rotation, these areas receive no sun at all during part of the year.
Solar Radiation Spectra

Solar radiation is radiant (electromagnetic) energy from the sun. The three relevant bands, or ranges,
along the solar radiation spectrum are ultraviolet, visible (PAR), and infrared. Of the light that
reaches Earth's surface, infrared radiation makes up 49.4% of while visible light provides 42.3%.
The amount and intensity of solar radiation that a location or body of water receives depends
on a variety of factors. These factors include latitude, season, time of day, cloud cover and
altitude. Not all radiation emitted from the sun reaches Earth’s surface. Much of it is
absorbed, reflected or scattered in the atmosphere. At the surface, solar energy can be
absorbed directly from the sun, called direct radiation, or from light that has been scattered as
it enters the atmosphere, called indirect radiation.
Solar Geometry
“SOLAR GEOMETRY IS THE DETERMINING FACTOR OF HEAT GAIN, SHADING
AND THE POTENTIAL OF DAYLIGHT PENETRATION”
Temperature, precipitation, wind and sunshine have a direct effect on buildings. A deliberate
choice of surroundings may permit us to take advantage of the elements that make the
environment more favorable.
Earth Sun angles

As the earth makes its yearly revolution around the sun it rotates every 24 hours about its
axis which is tilted at an angle of 23 degrees 27.14 min (23.45o) to the plane of the elliptic
which contains the earth's orbital plane and the sun's equator.
The angle between the earth- sun line and the earth’s equatorial plane is known as the angle
of declination. This varies with the date; and the orbital velocity of the earth traveling around
the elliptic plane also varies slightly.
The two angles that completely describe the sun position are the solar altitude b, measured
from 0° to 90° above the horizon, and the solar azimuth f, measured from 0° to 180° from the
south with positive sign eastwards and negative sign westwards. To determine these two
angles from data on Latitude, date and time, the following calculation is carried out:
Instead of being expressed in time units, true solar time can be expressed in angular terms
related to the earth’s rotation as the hour angle, H, where
H = 0.25 X
where
H hour angle
X Number of minutes from true solar time noon
Since in one minute the earth rotates 0.25°. Values a.m. are +ve and p.m. +ve. Then,
sin b = cos L cos d cos H + sin L sin d
and
sin f = (cos d sin H) / cos b
LLatitude, degrees
D declination, degrees (northern hemisphere =+ve, southern hemisphere = -ve)
Observer Sun Angles
When we observe the sun from an arbitrary position on the earth, we are interested in
defining the sun position relative to a coordinate system based at the point of observation, not
at the center of the earth. The conventional earth-surface based coordinates are a vertical line
(straight up) and a horizontal plane containing a north-south line and an east-west line. The
position of the sun relative to these coordinates can be described by two angles; the solar
altitude angle and the solar zenith angle defined below. Since the sun appears not as a point in
the sky, but as a disc of finite size, all angles discussed in the following sections are measured
to the center of that disc, that is, relative to the "central ray" from the sun.
The hour angle is zero at solar noon (when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky).
At this time the sun is said to be 'due south' (or 'due north', in the Southern Hemisphere)
since the meridian plane of the observer contains the sun. The hour angle increases by
15 degrees every hour.
Exactly one-half of the disc is above the horizon, giving the day length as 12 hours. At noon,
the observer notes that the solar zenith angle is the same as the local latitude. The sun sets at
exactly 6:00 PM, at a solar azimuth angle of exactly 270 degrees or due west.
Solar Day Length
A solar day is the time it takes for the Earth to rotate about its axis so that the Sun appears in
the same position in the sky.
The sidereal day is measured with respect to the stars, while the solar day is the length of
time measured from noon to noon.
Solar time is a calculation of the passage of time based on the position of the Sun in the sky.
The fundamental unit of solar time is the day. Two types of solar times are apparent solar
time (sundial time) and mean solar time (clock time).
ESTIMATION OF SOLAR ENERGY AVAILABILITY
Accurate estimation of solar energy is necessary as the demand and dependency of solar
energy in total power is increasing worldwide. Moreover, accurate estimate is required by
energy planners and electric utilities to have the right balance of renewable and fossil fuels-
based generation.
Also, accurate forecast will lead to saving from excess fuel consumption or emergency purchases of
electricity and helpful in maintenance, energy storage and trading of electricity. The present review is
focused on various estimating techniques used for prediction of global solar irradiance.

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Unit 4

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Unit 4

The Solar Resource

Solar Radiation Spectra

Earth Sun angles

Observer Sun Angles

15 degrees every hour.

Solar Day Length

ESTIMATION OF SOLAR ENERGY AVAILABILITY

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