Global Solar Insolation Estimation and Investigation: A Case Study of Various Nations and Cities

Abstract

Solar insolation is sun radiation converted to electrical energy and injected into the utility network using grid-connected solar power plants. Recently, in many nations’ electricity grids, the share of power generated using solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants is rapidly increasing. In this case study, solar insolation levels on different latitudes with fix & two seasonal tilt angles have been measured using Meteonorm® software. For these latitudes, fourteen airport locations have been chosen across the globe. From the case study, it has been evident that a double seasonal tilt angle provides more global insolation as compared to fix tilt angle with a suitable azimuth angle. There is also a reduction in insolation level at fixed and two seasonal tilt angles if going away from the equator. Further, up to three seasonal tilt angles, there is sufficient enhancement has been observed in solar insolation. It is also analyzed that for multiple seasonal tilt angle based solar PV Plant, month-wise tilt angle selection is more important. Further Average, Rectangular, and Trapezoidal methods have been used for estimation of cumulative inclined insolation for a specific period and compared. From the comparison, the trapezoidal method has been found optimal for accurate estimation of cumulative inclined insolation.

Keywords

• Average method
• error comparison
• insolation estimation
• rectangular method
• solar PV
• PV module direction