Solar radiation model for hot dry arid climates

Abstract

The industrialised countries have well-established solar radiation networks based on detailed observations of solar irradiance data from relatively sophisticated weather stations. However, in many regions of the developing countries the only available data consist of records of sunshine hours. There have been several approaches towards establishing a relationship between sunshine hours and solar irradiance. This paper describes how one particular formula, the Barbaro et al. model, has been modified to determine solar irradiance from sunshine hours for a number of stations located in hot dry arid climates.