Abstract
Global horizontal irradiance (i.e., shortwave downward solar radiation received by a horizontal surface on the ground) is an important geophysical variable for climate and energy research. Since solar radiation is attenuated by clouds, its variability is intimately associated with the variability of cloud properties. The spatial distribution of clouds and the daily, monthly, seasonal, and annual solar energy potential (i.e., the solar energy available to be converted into electricity) derived from satellite estimates of global horizontal irradiance are explored over the state of Texas, USA and surrounding regions, including northern Mexico and the western Gulf of Mexico. The maximum (minimum) monthly solar energy potential in the study area is 151–247 kWhm−2 (43–145 kWhm−2) in July (December). The maximum (minimum) seasonal solar energy potential is 457–706 kWhm−2 (167–481 kWhm−2) in summer (winter). The available annual solar energy in 2015 was 1295–2324 kWhm−2. The solar energy potential is significantly higher over the Gulf of Mexico than over land despite the ocean waters having typically more cloudy skies. Cirrus is the dominant cloud type over the Gulf which attenuates less solar irradiance compared to other cloud types. As expected from our previous work, there is good agreement between satellite and ground estimates of solar energy potential in San Antonio, Texas, and we assume this agreement applies to the surrounding larger region discussed in this paper. The study underscores the relevance of geostationary satellites for cloud/solar energy mapping and provides useful estimates on solar energy in Texas and surrounding regions that could potentially be harnessed and incorporated into the electrical grid.
Highlights
Shortwave downward solar radiation at the Earth’s surface, referred to as surface solar irradiance, is defined as the incident solar radiation at the surface in the 200–4000 nm wavelength spectral band
The solar energy potential E is defined as the total solar energy available to be converted into electric energy and is calculated by integrating the global horizontal irradiance G
Satellite observations of surface solar irradiance and cloud properties from GSIP-v3 with a spatial resolution of 4 km are used to assess the impact of clouds on solar energy potential in San Antonio, Texas, USA and surrounding areas which include northern Mexico and the western Gulf of Mexico
Summary
Shortwave downward solar radiation at the Earth’s surface, referred to as surface solar irradiance, is defined as the incident solar radiation at the surface in the 200–4000 nm wavelength spectral band Because it is involved in various atmosphere-ocean/land interaction processes it is a key component of the global surface heat budget and, plays a crucial role in conditioning the Earth’s climate. The use of photovoltaic cells in the energy sector is increasing worldwide despite the fact that variations in solar irradiance can cause significant fluctuations in the power output from these systems [4] These fluctuations of solar irradiance are mainly caused by the presence of clouds in the earth’s atmosphere under cloudy-sky conditions. Knowledge of the spatial and temporal distribution of clouds, and their impact on surface solar irradiance, is important for estimating the solar energy potential (i.e., the amount of solar energy available as input to photovoltaic systems)
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