Evaluating Solar Resource Variability from Satellite and Ground-Based Observations

Mary Anderberg, Dave Renné, Thomas Stoffel, Manajit Sengupta, Richard Perez, Paul Stackhouse

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaperpeer-review

1 Scopus Citations

Abstract

This paper examines two co-located satellite-derived data sets over the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Southern Great Plains (SGP) site in central Oklahoma. The data sets, one derived from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Langley Surface Meteorology and Solar Energy (SSE) Data Base and the other from the State University of New York at Albany (SUNY/Albany) satellite-based model, are compared with each other as well as with a high-quality surface station located at the Central Facility (CF) of the ARM/SGP site. The purpose of the study is two-fold: (1) to benchmark the two satellite-derived data sets with each other and (2) to examine the spatial variability of the higher-resolution SUNY data within the NASA cell that overlays the ground station. The results show variations in seasonal biases between the two satellite-derived data sets and the ground station. In addition, the distribution of high-resolution values within a NASA grid cell varies from month to month possibly due to variations in cloud conditions and surface reflectance characteristics that occur across the seasons.

Original languageAmerican English
Pages75-81
Number of pages7
StatePublished - 2010
Event39th ASES National Solar Conference 2010, SOLAR 2010 - Phoenix, AZ, United States
Duration: 17 May 201022 May 2010

Conference

Conference39th ASES National Solar Conference 2010, SOLAR 2010
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityPhoenix, AZ
Period17/05/1022/05/10

NREL Publication Number

  • NREL/CP-550-47908

Keywords

  • solar irradiance
  • solar radiation measurement
  • variability

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