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Coarse resolution solar resource map

A global coarse resolution solar resource map is being developed by the NASA/LaRC, and is available to this project. NASA/LaRC global coarse resolution 1ox1o climatological data set (available regionally) This map, to be completed in the latter half of 2001, provides global horizontal and diffuse solar resource data, using two different models, for the period July 1983 – November 1995. The database will include 3-hourly time series, daily, and monthly average values for each 1^o x1^o grid cell.

Medium resolution solar resource map

Medium resolution (approx. 40 km x 40 km) climatological solar resource data sets, comprising monthly average daily total global horizontal, direct normal, and diffuse solar resource elements

High resolution solar resource map

High resolution (approx. 0.05^o to 0.15^o, 1-3 hourly) site/time specific solar resource datasets derived from geostationary satellite data

WAsP

A highly localised method for adjusting ground measurement data and developing time-based information. These methods to selected data for use in verification of computer-generated wind maps and expansion of the assessment information to include variations over time.

KAMM

Karlsruhe University Atmospheric Meso-scale Model can produce wind maps approriate for 5-km for areas of hilly terrain and channeled wind corridors. The offshore potential can be assessed using KAMM at 10 km resolution.

MM5

The MM5 mesoscale model is used to generate wind maps at 20km resolution and will be refined to higher resolution using input from the WAsP for selected areas.

WRAM

Wind Resource Assessment and Mapping System empirical/analytical model incorporates extensive geophysical data sets to generate high-resolution annual average wind maps at 1-km resolution.

Wind Atlas

A document containing non-map, meta-data stored information including interpretation of the wind maps and summaries of the salient wind characteristics. Wind atlases will contain data such as the hourly time-series data with technical descriptions, summaries, graphical output of the data, and selected data sets with inter-annual, monthly, and diurnal variations.

Validation

Studies and independently collected data for evaluating, validating and establishing uncertainties of SWERA resource assessments

Village Power

Off grid sources of electric power generation

Electric transmission grids

A wide area transmission grid for distributing electric power

GIS

A Geographic Information System (GIS) is the combination of hardware, software, data, and expertise used to create, modify, evaluate and analyze spatial or geographically referenced information in digital format. GIS data are comprised of two components: spatial features and attributes. The spatial features are elements that can be shown on a map. They include roads, rivers, population density, electric transmission corridors, meteorological stations, and the wind or solar resource distribution. The attributes are the associated information such as land ownership and use (designations such as forest, agriculture, park, etc), temperature, wind speed and solar radiation values. The combination of both a computerized map and a database within the same system facilitates planning and decision making.

Energy Analysis

Information and tools leading to better targeted and more effective preinvestment resources, more accurate techno-economical analysis leading to realistic cost-benefit projections, framing specific policies and financial incentives to attract private sector investment, and energy development policies. These products (and data) can be effectively used in national energy planning case studies exercises in the estimation of exploitable wind/solar resource potential under various scenarios, identification of potential regions of interest within the country and matching of resource availability with needs of population centres. The estimation of share of unserved energy demands that could be met by wind/solar energy in energy deficit pockets/regions can also be made.

TMY Time-Series

TMY datasets are developed from selected ground based three-hourly observations of cloud cover data collected over a period of 20-years or more for up to 100 sites, representing 6-10 sites in each targeted country. Typical Meteorological Year Time-Series data are data collected at point locations for use in creating and better understanding solar maps.