Characterisation and Classification of Daily Sky Conditions Between the 23rd and 27th Parallel North for Improved Energy Security

Abstract

The installed capacity of grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) systems around the globe is increasing rapidly due to the need for clean, sustainable and fuel independent energy. The PV technology is already a major part of the energy mix in many developed and developing countries. The electricity generated from these systems heavily depends on the prevailing weather conditions and is directly related to the available solar irradiance. Therefore, the electricity injected into the grid from these systems is intermittent reducing the utility of that generated power. Any sudden irradiance changes, due to passing clouds, rain, dust storms, etc., directly affect the power response of solar systems, compromising the security of electricity supply and resulting in the need for operating reserves to stabilize the supply. The further deployment of grid connected PV systems will benefit greatly by developing the methodology to systematically study and analyse the variability and quantity of the power produced by installed PV...