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Solar power assessments

The feasibility of solar power plants depends on the expected power output. The power output is the result of the chosen configuration and the local climate of the chosen site.

irradiance and satellite imaging

Using satellite imaging and radiation measurements at nearby meteorological stations it is posssible to determin the local irradiance. The world is being photographed every 15 minutes by satellites. These images give a clear view on the cloudcover at a chosen site and that of a nearby meteorological station. An extended database of satellite images in combination with knowledge on global radiation provide a useful estimate of the radiation climate on nearly every possible site, without the need of an extended measurement campaign. If necessary the accuracy of the analysis can be improved with a short measurement campaign of several days to weeks.

panel orientation

The power output also depends on the orientation of the solar panels. We can evaluate the power output of fixed panels and panels mounted on different tracking devices.