Evaluation of Rotating Shadowband Radiometer Measurements in Desert Conditions
Abstract
Ground measurement of solar radiation is the most accurate way to evaluate and quantify the available solar resources at a specific site. This is particularly important for solar energy projects. The acquisition of high quality solar radiation data requires the installation of a high-precision solar radiation monitoring station with thermoelectric type of sensors such as pyranometers and pyrheliometer, mounted on a sun-tracker system. This type of station allows the collection of reliable solar radiation data; however, it is costly and requires continuous maintenance. An alternative method for on-site measurements of solar radiation is the use of a rotating shadow band radiometer (RSR) based on a photodiode sensor. The system is less expensive and requires less frequent maintenance; however, the collected data are less precise. A study of the assessment of the data measured by an RSR operating in desert conditions is presented here.