Performance Evaluation of Models Established for the Estimation of Diffused Solar Radiation: Case Study Lahore, Pakistan

A suitable design of solar power project requires accurate measurements of solar radiation for the site ofinvestigation. Such measurements play a pivotal role in the installation of PV systems. While conducting such studies,in general, global solar radiation (GSR) is recorded, whereas diffuse component of solar radiation on a horizontalsurface is seldom recorded. The objective of the present study is to assess diffuse solar radiation (DSR) on horizontalsurfaces by using polynomial models for Lahore, Pakistan (27.89 N, 78.08 E) and by correlating clearness index withdiffuse fraction. The established models are compared with some of the existing models from the literature.Performance of models is evaluated by employing five goodness-of-fit (GoF) tests that are, mean bias error (MBE),root mean square (RMSE), Coefficient of Determination (R2), Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) and Akaike’sInformation Criterion (AIC). The comparison of the results of goodness-of-fit tests with those of existing modelsindicate that the models established in the present study are performed better as compared to the existing models. Thevalues of statistical error analysis further suggested that a cubic model with a good accuracy of 97.5% and AIC of -22.8is relatively more suitable for this climatic region for estimating diffuse solar radiation. The study shows that the modeldeveloped is in good agreement with Elhadidy and Nabi model with an accuracy of 96.1% and AIC of 4.4 andsatisfactory results are obtained for Lahore. The findings can help to give a generous understanding of solar radiation inorder to optimize the solar energy conversion systems. The results of this study provide a better understanding of theassociations between global solar radiation, clearness index and diffused fraction for the region under study.

In this study, the performance of three global solar radiation models and the accuracy of global solar radiation data derived from three sources were compared. Twenty-two years (1984–2005) of surface meteorological data consisting of monthly mean daily sunshine duration, minimum and maximum temperatures, and global solar radiation collected from the Nigerian Meteorological (NIMET) Agency, Oshodi, Lagos, and the National Aeronautics Space Agency (NASA) for three locations in North-Western region of Nigeria were used. A new model incorporating Garcia model into Angstrom-Prescott model was proposed for estimating global radiation in Nigeria. The performances of the models used were determined by using mean bias error (MBE), mean percentage error (MPE), root mean square error (RMSE), and coefficient of determination (R2). Based on the statistical error indices, the proposed model was found to have the best accuracy with the least RMSE values (0.376 for Sokoto, 0.463 for Kaduna, and 0.449 for Kano) and highest coefficient of determination, R2 values of 0.922, 0.938, and 0.961 for Sokoto, Kano, and Kaduna, respectively. Also, the comparative study result indicates that the estimated global radiation from the proposed model has a better error range and fits the ground measured data better than the satellite-derived data.

The accurate knowledge of solar energy potential is essential for agricultural scientists, energy engineers, architects and hydrologists for relevant applications in concerned fields. It is cleanest and freely available renewable energy measured using CMP6 Pyranometer. However, it is quite challenging to acquire accurate solar radiation data in different locations of Nepal because of the high cost of instruments and maintenances. In these circumstances, it is essential to select an appropriate empirical model to predict global solar radiation for the use of future at low land, Nepalgunj (28.102°N, 81.668°E and alt. 165 masl) for the year 2011-2012. In this paper, six different empirical models have been used based on regression technique, provided the meteorological data. The empirical constants (a = 0.61, b = 0.05, c = -0.0012 and d = -0.017) are obtained to predict Global solar radiation. The values of statistical tools such as mean percentage error, mean bias error, root mean square error, and coefficient of determination obtained for Abdalla model are 1.99%, 0.003 MJ/m2/day, 2.04 MJ/m2/day and 0.74 respectively. Using the error analysis, it is concluded that the Abdalla model is better than others. So the empirical constants of this model are utilized to predict the global solar radiation to the similar geographical sites of Nepal for the years to come and it can be used to estimate the missing data of solar radiation for the respective sites.

The performances of sunshine, temperature and multivariate models for the estimation of global solar radiation for Sokoto (Latitude 13.020N, Longitude 05.250E and 350.8 m asl) located in the Sahelian region in Nigeria were evaluated using measured monthly average daily global solar radiation, maximum and minimum temperatures, sunshine hours, rainfall, wind speed, cloud cover and relative humidity meteorological data during the period of thirty one years (1980-2010). The comparison assessment of the models was carried out using statistical indices of coefficient of determination (R2), Mean Bias Error (MBE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Percentage Error (MPE), t – test, Nash – Sutcliffe Equation (NSE) and Index of Agreement (IA). For the sunshine based models, a total of ten (10) models were developed, nine (9) existing and one author’s sunshine based model. For the temperature based models, a total of four (4) models were developed, three (3) existing and one author’s temperature based model. The results of the existing and newly developed author’s sunshine and temperature based models were compared and the best empirical model was identified and recommended. The results indicated that the author’s quadratic sunshine based model involving the latitude and the exponent temperature based models are found more suitable for global solar radiation estimation in Sokoto. The evaluated existing Ångström type sunshine based model for the location was compared with those available in literature from other studies and was found more suitable for estimating global solar radiation. Comparing the most suitable sunshine and temperature based models revealed that the temperature based models is more appropriate in the location. The developed multivariate regression models are found suitable as evaluation depends on the available combination of the meteorological parameters based on two to six variable correlations. The recommended models are found suitable for estimating global solar radiation in Sokoto and regions with similar climatic information with higher accuracy and climatic variability.   

Authentic information of the availability of global solar radiation is significant to agro/hydro meteorologists, atmospheric Physicists and solar energy engineers for the purpose of local and international marketing, designs and manufacturing of solar equipment. In this study, five new proposed temperature dependent models were evaluated using measured monthly average daily global solar radiation, maximum and minimum temperature meteorological data during the period of thirty one years (1980-2010). The new models were compared with three existing temperature dependent models (Chen et al., Hargreaves and Samani and Garcia) using seven different statistical validation indicators of coefficient of determination (R2), Mean Bias Error (MBE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Percentage Error (MPE), t – test, Nash – Sutcliffe Equation (NSE) and Index of Agreement (IA) to ascertain the suitability of global solar radiation estimation in five different locations (Zaria, Bauchi, Jos, Minna and Yola) situated in the Midland climatic zone of Nigeria. In each location, the result shows that a new empirical regression model was found more accurate when compared to the existing models and are therefore recommended for estimating global solar radiation in the location and regions with similar climatic information where only temperature data are available. The evaluated existing Hargreaves and Samani and Garcia temperature based models for Jos were compared to those available in literature and was found more suitable for estimating global solar radiation for the location. The comparison between the measured and estimated temperature dependent models depicts slight overestimation and underestimation in some months with good fitting in the studied locations. However, the recommended models give the best fitting.   

Background:Estimation of tropospheric radio refractivity is significant in the planning and design of terrestrial communication links.Methods:In this study, the monthly average daily atmospheric pressure, relative humidity and temperature data obtained from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) during the period of twenty two years (July 1983 - June 2005) for Osogbo (Latitude 7.470N, Longitude 4.290E, and 302.0 m above sea level) were used to estimate the monthly tropospheric radio refractivity. The monthly average daily global solar radiation with other meteorological parameters was used to developed one, two, three and four variable correlation(s) tropospheric radio refractivity models for the location. The accuracy of the proposed models are validated using statistical indicator of coefficient of determination (R2), Mean Bias Error (MBE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Percentage Error (MPE), Nash - Sutcliffe Equation (NSE) and Index of Agreement (IA).Results:In each case one empirical model was recommended based on their exceptional performances after ranking, except for the two variation correlations with two empirical models. The recommended models were further subjected to ranking from which the three variable correlations model that relates the radio refractivity with the absolute temperature, relative humidity and global solar radiation was found more suitable for estimating tropospheric radio refractivity for Osogbo with R2= 100.0%, MBE = -0.2913 N-units, RMSE = 0.3869 N-units, MPE = 0.0811%, NSE = 99.9999% and IA = 100.00%.Conclusion:The newly developed recommended models (Equations 16c, 17d, 17f, 18d and 19) can be used for estimating daily and monthly values of tropospheric radio refractivity with higher accuracy and has good compliance to highly varying climatic conditions for Osogbo and regions of similar climatic information.

Accurate knowledge of global solar radiation distribution is essential for designing, sizing, and performing an evaluation of solar energy system in any part of the world. However, it is not available in many sites of Nepal due to the high expense of the technical process. This study is focused on the performance of different models based on daily global solar radiation, sunshine hour, temperature, and relative humidity at mid-hill region Lumle, (lat. 28.29650N, long. 83.8179oE, and Alt. 1740.0 m.a.s.l.). This study is carried for the year 2018 to 2020. The performance of different models based on sunshine hour, temperature, and relative humidity were analyzed using the regression technique and statistical tools such as Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Bias Error (MBE), Mean Percentage Error (MPE), and Coefficient of determination (R2). After the analysis, the modified Angstrom model (M-9) based on temperature difference and relative humidity was found to be the best in terms of accuracy of least RMSE value and highest coefficient of determination. Finally, the empirical constants for model m-9 are a = 0.003, b = 0.523, c = 0.118 and, d = 0.002 obtained. The calculated empirical constants can be utilized for the prediction of GSR at similar geographical locations of Nepal.

Background:Estimation of tropospheric radio refractivity is significant in the planning and design of terrestrial communication links.Methods:In this study, the monthly average daily atmospheric pressure, relative humidity and temperature data obtained from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) during the period of twenty two years (July 1983 - June 2005) for Osogbo (Latitude 7.470N, Longitude 4.290E, and 302.0 m above sea level) were used to estimate the monthly tropospheric radio refractivity. The monthly average daily global solar radiation with other meteorological parameters was used to developed one, two, three and four variable correlation(s) tropospheric radio refractivity models for the location. The accuracy of the proposed models are validated using statistical indicator of coefficient of determination (R2), Mean Bias Error (MBE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Percentage Error (MPE), Nash - Sutcliffe Equation (NSE) and Index of Agreement (IA).Results:In each case one empirical model was recommended based on their exceptional performances after ranking, except for the two variation correlations with two empirical models. The recommended models were further subjected to ranking from which the three variable correlations model that relates the radio refractivity with the absolute temperature, relative humidity and global solar radiation was found more suitable for estimating tropospheric radio refractivity for Osogbo with R2= 100.0%, MBE = -0.2913 N-units, RMSE = 0.3869 N-units, MPE = 0.0811%, NSE = 99.9999% and IA = 100.00%.Conclusion:The newly developed recommended models (Equations 16c, 17d, 17f, 18d and 19) can be used for estimating daily and monthly values of tropospheric radio refractivity with higher accuracy and has good compliance to highly varying climatic conditions for Osogbo and regions of similar climatic information.

Six existing models and one proposed approach for estimating global solar radiation were tested in Buenos Aires using commonly measured meteorological data as temperature and sunshine hours covering the years 2010-2013. Statistical predictors as mean bias error, root mean square, mean percentage error, slope and regression coefficients were used as validation criteria. The variability explained (R2), slope and MPE indicated that the higher precision could be excepted when sunshine hours are used as predictor. The new proposed approach explained almost 99% of the RG variability with deviation of less than ± 0.1 MJm-2day-1 and with the MPE smallest value below 1 %. The well known Ångström-Prescott methods, first and third order, was also found to perform for the measured data with high accuracy (R2=0.97-0.99) but with slightly higher MBE values (0.17-0.18 MJm-2day-1). The results pointed out that the third order Ångström type correlation did not improve the estimation accuracy of solar radiation given the highest range of deviation and mean percentage error obtained.  Where the sunshine hours were not available, the formulae including temperature data might be considered as an alternative although the methods displayed larger deviation and tended to overestimate the solar radiation behavior.

Two methods for estimating daily global solar radiation (RG) based on the daily temperature extremes and precipitation sum are compared in the study. All parameters necessary for application of both methods were derived either from literature or from climatic characteristics easily available at the given meteorological stations excluding need for measured RG data. The performance of both methods was assessed with a help of meteorological database including 4 stations in the Czech Republic (data were provided by the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute) and 6 in Austria (data provided by the Austrian Weather Service) containing in total 41 640 observational day. For each day in the database observed daily sum of RG, daily maximum and minimum temperatures and precipitation sum were available. Coefficient of determination, slope of regression line forced through origin, mean bias error (MBE) and root mean square error (RMSE) were used as performance indicators. The first method proposed by Winslow et al. (2001) – Eq. (1) is capable to explain 86% of daily RG variability, with systematic error represented by MBE equaling to 0.19 MJ.m–2.day-1 and random error indicated by RMSE reaching up to 3.09. The second method published by Thornton and Running (1999)-Eq. (2) was found to be in almost all parameters inferior to the Eq. (1) and thus the Eq. (1) is recommended to be used in the Central European region (up to 600 m above the sea level). This method might be recommended for stations where neither measured RG or sunshine duration hours exist. However, one should take into consideration that relative MBE and RMSE are in some months higher than 10% and 30% respectively, which may compromise results of subsequent calculations made with use of estimated solar radiation data and alter the order of the method suitability.