Measuring Solar Radiation and Relevant Atmospheric Parameters

Accurate measurements of the incoming irradiance are essential to solar power plant project design and implementation. Because irradiance measurements are relatively complex, and therefore expensive, compared to other meteorological measurements, they are available for only a limited number of locations. This holds true especially for direct normal irradiance (DNI). Developers utilize irradiance data for: • Site resource analysis • System design • Plant operation. Irradiance measurements are also essential for: • Developing and testing models that use remote satellite sensing techniques or available surface meteorological observations • Developing solar resource forecasting techniques. This chapter focuses on the instrument selection, characterization, installation, design, and operations and maintenance (O&M), including calibration of measurement systems suitable for collecting irradiance resource measurements for renewable energy technology applications.