A New Model for Estimating the Diffuse Fraction of Solar Irradiance for Photovoltaic System Simulations

We present a new model for the calculation of the diffuse fraction of the global solar irradiance for solar system simulations. The importance of an accurate estimation of the horizontal diffuse irradiance is highlighted by findings that an inaccurately calculated diffuse irradiance can lead to sign...

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Main Authors: Martin Hofmann, Gunther Seckmeyer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2017-02-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/10/2/248
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author Martin Hofmann
Gunther Seckmeyer
author_facet Martin Hofmann
Gunther Seckmeyer
author_sort Martin Hofmann
collection DOAJ
description We present a new model for the calculation of the diffuse fraction of the global solar irradiance for solar system simulations. The importance of an accurate estimation of the horizontal diffuse irradiance is highlighted by findings that an inaccurately calculated diffuse irradiance can lead to significant over- or underestimations in the annual energy yield of a photovoltaic (PV) system by as much as 8%. Our model utilizes a time series of global irradiance in one-minute resolution and geographical information as input. The model is validated by measurement data of 28 geographically and climatologically diverse locations worldwide with one year of one-minute data each, taken from the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN). We show that on average the mean absolute deviation of the modelled and the measured diffuse irradiance is reduced from about 12% to about 6% compared to three reference models. The maximum deviation is less than 20%. In more than 80% of the test cases, the deviation is smaller 10%. The root mean squared error (RMSE) of the calculated diffuse fractions is reduced by about 18%.
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spelling doaj.art-b251f62f20a9450e9a2185c7b4a990542022-12-22T04:00:38ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732017-02-0110224810.3390/en10020248en10020248A New Model for Estimating the Diffuse Fraction of Solar Irradiance for Photovoltaic System SimulationsMartin Hofmann0Gunther Seckmeyer1Valentin Software GmbH, Stralauer Platz 34, 10243 Berlin, GermanyLeibniz Universität Hannover, Institute for Meteorology and Climatology, Herrenhäuser Straße 2, 30419 Hannover, GermanyWe present a new model for the calculation of the diffuse fraction of the global solar irradiance for solar system simulations. The importance of an accurate estimation of the horizontal diffuse irradiance is highlighted by findings that an inaccurately calculated diffuse irradiance can lead to significant over- or underestimations in the annual energy yield of a photovoltaic (PV) system by as much as 8%. Our model utilizes a time series of global irradiance in one-minute resolution and geographical information as input. The model is validated by measurement data of 28 geographically and climatologically diverse locations worldwide with one year of one-minute data each, taken from the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN). We show that on average the mean absolute deviation of the modelled and the measured diffuse irradiance is reduced from about 12% to about 6% compared to three reference models. The maximum deviation is less than 20%. In more than 80% of the test cases, the deviation is smaller 10%. The root mean squared error (RMSE) of the calculated diffuse fractions is reduced by about 18%.http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/10/2/248diffusediffuse fractionirradiancemodelphotovoltaic (PV)simulationirradiationBaseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN)
spellingShingle Martin Hofmann
Gunther Seckmeyer
A New Model for Estimating the Diffuse Fraction of Solar Irradiance for Photovoltaic System Simulations
Energies
diffuse
diffuse fraction
irradiance
model
photovoltaic (PV)
simulation
irradiation
Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN)
title A New Model for Estimating the Diffuse Fraction of Solar Irradiance for Photovoltaic System Simulations
title_full A New Model for Estimating the Diffuse Fraction of Solar Irradiance for Photovoltaic System Simulations
title_fullStr A New Model for Estimating the Diffuse Fraction of Solar Irradiance for Photovoltaic System Simulations
title_full_unstemmed A New Model for Estimating the Diffuse Fraction of Solar Irradiance for Photovoltaic System Simulations
title_short A New Model for Estimating the Diffuse Fraction of Solar Irradiance for Photovoltaic System Simulations
title_sort new model for estimating the diffuse fraction of solar irradiance for photovoltaic system simulations
topic diffuse
diffuse fraction
irradiance
model
photovoltaic (PV)
simulation
irradiation
Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN)
url http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/10/2/248
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