PRESENTATION
2011 - Day Zero - Renewables User Group
Short-term Solar Forecasting
A method for intra-hour, sub-kilometer cloud forecasting and irradiance nowcasting using a ground-based sky imager at the University of California, San Diego is presented. Sky images taken every 30 seconds were processed to determine sky cover using a clear sky library and sunshine parameter. From a two-dimensional cloud map generated from coordinate-transformed sky cover, cloud shadows at the surface were estimated. The (binary) cloud conditions were correctly nowcast 76% of the time for a network of six pyranometer ground stations spread out over an area of 2 km2. Cloud motion vectors were generated by cross-correlating two consecutive sky images. Cloud locations up to five minutes ahead were forecasted by advection of the two-dimensional cloud map. Cloud forecast error increased with increasing forecast horizon due to high cloud cover variability over the coastal site.
Company
University of California, San Diego
Speaker
Jan Kleissl
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering