A GIS-based System for Performance Assessment of Solar Energy Systems over Large Geographical Regions

We present a method for estimating the performance of solar energy systems at any location in Europe. The method uses a geographical database, with a spatial resolution of 1 km, containing monthly averages of global irradiation and ambient temperature. Global irradiation raster maps were created using the model r.sun and spatial interpolation from meteorological ground stations. Raster data of ambient temperature were interpolated from ground measurements using multivariable regularized spline with tension. In this paper, solar radiation and temperature are combined with published correlations in two applications: performance assessment of crystalline silicon photovoltaic systems, and for estimation of the energy output from domestic solar hot water systems. The methods and climatic data have been integrated into a set of map-based online web applications, where users can get estimates for any location within the European subcontinent. The developed system is called PVGIS.

HULD Thomas;  SURI Marcel;  DUNLOP Ewan; 

2007-02-20

American Solar Energy Society

JRC33001

https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC33001,