Prediction of global, diffused and direct solar radiation for oriented and inclined surface based on meteorological data for efficient energy use in the South of Tunisia

Abstract EN

The determination of solar radiation data at a given geographic location is critical for the development and evaluation of solar applications.

the current paper compares a "MATLAB" simulation model with climatology measured data for ten years provided by a high precision meteorological station installed in Tataouine (32°93′ latitude, 10°45′ longitude) in Tunisia's south, where available solar resources are very important.

on hourly, monthly, and seasonal scales, the global and direct solar radiation variability was assessed.

in order to determine the model's performance, a statistical test method was used.

it shows a good potential for estimating values of solar radiation components on various types of surfaces in nearby locations where sunlight measurements aren't available.

such accurate knowledge is very useful for the site selection of solar power plants for both photovoltaic and concentrated thermal systems.