Effect of the Ground Albedo on the Estimation of Solar Radiation on Tilted Flat-Plate Surfaces: The Case of Saudi Arabia
This work investigates the influence of ground albedo on the solar radiation obtained by surfaces mounted on fixed-tilt-to-south, one-axis, and two-axis systems. To do this, estimation of the solar radiation difference is performed by applying real albedo and zero albedo. This is achieved within Sau...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/23/7886 |
| _version_ | 1827592351938248704 |
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| author | Ashraf Farahat Harry D. Kambezidis Styliani I. Kampezidou |
| author_facet | Ashraf Farahat Harry D. Kambezidis Styliani I. Kampezidou |
| author_sort | Ashraf Farahat |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This work investigates the influence of ground albedo on the solar radiation obtained by surfaces mounted on fixed-tilt-to-south, one-axis, and two-axis systems. To do this, estimation of the solar radiation difference is performed by applying real albedo and zero albedo. This is achieved within Saudi Arabia at 82 selected sites. Annual, seasonal, and monthly mean solar energy differences are computed as a function of the site’s number, latitude, and local near-real ground albedo. The great variation in the ground-albedo values at the 82 sites (0.1–0.46) could be thought of as having a significant effect on the solar radiation levels received on the three tracking modes. This analysis shows quite the opposite; zero-albedo ground diminishes solar radiation levels by 1.43%, 3.50%, and 3.20%, respectively, for the three modes. Therefore, in most solar engineering applications, a ground albedo of 0.2 (considered a reference) can be used without losing accuracy. This is the main conclusion of the study, which must, however, be applied with caution in areas with snow cover, especially for mode-III tracking systems. In such situations, the increase in solar radiation levels may be up to 15% (but ≈3.5% for mode-I and -II systems instead). |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:52:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f094ad74566a4427a2aa8e7d5d919317 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:52:24Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-f094ad74566a4427a2aa8e7d5d9193172023-12-08T15:15:09ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732023-12-011623788610.3390/en16237886Effect of the Ground Albedo on the Estimation of Solar Radiation on Tilted Flat-Plate Surfaces: The Case of Saudi ArabiaAshraf Farahat0Harry D. Kambezidis1Styliani I. Kampezidou2Department of Physics, College of General Studies, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran SA-31261, Saudi ArabiaAtmospheric Research Team, Institute of Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, GR-11810 Athens, GreeceAerospace Systems Design Laboratory, Georgia Institute of Technology, 275 Ferst Dr NW, Atlanta, GA 30313, USAThis work investigates the influence of ground albedo on the solar radiation obtained by surfaces mounted on fixed-tilt-to-south, one-axis, and two-axis systems. To do this, estimation of the solar radiation difference is performed by applying real albedo and zero albedo. This is achieved within Saudi Arabia at 82 selected sites. Annual, seasonal, and monthly mean solar energy differences are computed as a function of the site’s number, latitude, and local near-real ground albedo. The great variation in the ground-albedo values at the 82 sites (0.1–0.46) could be thought of as having a significant effect on the solar radiation levels received on the three tracking modes. This analysis shows quite the opposite; zero-albedo ground diminishes solar radiation levels by 1.43%, 3.50%, and 3.20%, respectively, for the three modes. Therefore, in most solar engineering applications, a ground albedo of 0.2 (considered a reference) can be used without losing accuracy. This is the main conclusion of the study, which must, however, be applied with caution in areas with snow cover, especially for mode-III tracking systems. In such situations, the increase in solar radiation levels may be up to 15% (but ≈3.5% for mode-I and -II systems instead).https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/23/7886ground albedosurface-reflected radiationsolar radiation on tilted surfacesSaudi Arabia |
| spellingShingle | Ashraf Farahat Harry D. Kambezidis Styliani I. Kampezidou Effect of the Ground Albedo on the Estimation of Solar Radiation on Tilted Flat-Plate Surfaces: The Case of Saudi Arabia Energies ground albedo surface-reflected radiation solar radiation on tilted surfaces Saudi Arabia |
| title | Effect of the Ground Albedo on the Estimation of Solar Radiation on Tilted Flat-Plate Surfaces: The Case of Saudi Arabia |
| title_full | Effect of the Ground Albedo on the Estimation of Solar Radiation on Tilted Flat-Plate Surfaces: The Case of Saudi Arabia |
| title_fullStr | Effect of the Ground Albedo on the Estimation of Solar Radiation on Tilted Flat-Plate Surfaces: The Case of Saudi Arabia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of the Ground Albedo on the Estimation of Solar Radiation on Tilted Flat-Plate Surfaces: The Case of Saudi Arabia |
| title_short | Effect of the Ground Albedo on the Estimation of Solar Radiation on Tilted Flat-Plate Surfaces: The Case of Saudi Arabia |
| title_sort | effect of the ground albedo on the estimation of solar radiation on tilted flat plate surfaces the case of saudi arabia |
| topic | ground albedo surface-reflected radiation solar radiation on tilted surfaces Saudi Arabia |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/23/7886 |
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