Solar Resource Data Applications for Utility Planning and Operations
Februarys webinar was on the topic of solar resource data applications for utility planning and operations. The webinar took place on Monday the 23rd of February 2015.
ISES president Dr. David Renné introduced the topic and moderated the webinar. View the introduction presentation.
About this webinar
The use of weather satellite data to estimate the solar energy resource at the earth's surface is now a widespread, common practice for solar energy applications. In recent years, satellite data retrieval methods have achieved a level of reliability and maturity that make satellite-derived solar resource estimates of sufficient accuracy to allow project planners to make preliminary deployment decisions, and utility operators to better understand how the variable solar resource can be managed for large penetrations of grid-connected solar technologies. In this webinar, two well-known private companies who have developed satellite-based solar resource techniques and software packages to apply these data for deployment and operational strategies will present some of their recent products.
This was a very informative webinar on how satellite-derived solar resource data are being applied to real-world renewable energy planning and deployments.
Speakers
Dr. Marcel Suri
Dr. Marcel Suri from GeoModel Solar, based in Bratislava, Slovakia, described how their long-term SolarGIS satellite-derived data products can be adapted with high-quality, short-term ground measurements to provide reliable estimates of the solar resource at specific sites, thereby guiding project developers and financial organizations on system sizing and cash flow estimates over the lifetime of the project.
Dr. Tom Hoff
Dr. Tom Hoff from Clean Power Research, based in Kirkland, Washington, USA, described how their SolarAnywhere satellite-derived data product is incorporated into tools that evaluate the growing variable resource occurring from "behind the meter" in regions where policy targets and incentives are resulting in large amounts of "behind the meter" solar installations. These software tools assist utilities in their scheduling and balancing operations, and in evaluating the quantity of reserve generation that a utility must procure to maintain supply to meet demand.
GeoModel Solar
We are pleased to announce that this upcoming webinar is sponsored by GeoModel Solar. GeoModel Solar is a technical consultant and service provider in solar energy. GeoModel Solar operate in-house developed SolarGIS online system, which includes high resolution solar and meteorological database and software services for solar energy. The company aims to reduce the uncertainty in solar energy projects by providing high-quality solar resource data and photovoltaic electricity simulations worldwide. This data and services are required for planning, financing, performance assessment, forecasting and management of solar power plants.