Carlos Coimbra [UC Merced] Abstract: The Solar Forecasting Laboratory at the University of California Merced has collected over 15 months of high quality horizontal and direct normal irradiance measurements at different wavelengths (UV, IR and visible) with the primary objective of developing, calibrating and benchmarking novel and more accurate forecasting models for solar irradiance at the ground level. Without effective forecasting methodologies, neither solar nor wind power plants cannot be effectively connected to the power grid, which presents a major obstacle for high-penetration utilization of intermittent sources. We will discuss different strategies for solar forecasting for both short- and long-term, high spatial and temporal resolution, and forecasting for different solar applications. We will also present a hybrid (GA/ANN) SSL (Stochastic, Self-Learning) methodology that yields very promising results for modeling and forecasting the solar resource, as well as some recent results of the application of our forecasting methodology to model the power output of UC Merceds 1 MW solar farm (SunPower 1-axis TPV).

www.SolarEnergyGuide.net – Low Cost Homemade Solar Panels – Your Home Energy Solution on a Shoestring! Many homeowners would love to be able to install their own low cost homemade solar panels and cut down on their monthly electricity bills. Wouldn’t you? A growing number of people have already done just that and they are proof that this is a simple and effective method of saving money. Things to Consider when Installing A Home Solar Power System If you want to harness the sun’s power, it is best if your home faces south. A roof that faces south and receives direct and unobstructed sunlight would be the ideal place to install your solar panels. If this is not feasible for some reason, however, you can always install them in a part of your backyard that receives direct sunlight as well. There are ready-made solar panel kits for sale on the market. But typically costing 00 or more these kits are often beyond the budget of most homeowners, especially with the current state of the economy. A far less expensive way to harness free energy from the sun is to build your own low cost solar power system. You will find a great number of instructional guides online that will walk you through the entire process. Even if you have never attempted any DIY projects before, you are sure to find these instructions easy to understand and follow. Within a few days, you should have your own homemade solar power system operational. The best thing about building your own solar panels is that …

Over the past decade, China has become the world’s leading manufacturer of solar energy technologies; China’s solar manufacturers have helped drive down the cost of solar power around the world with their large-scale production facilities and solar panel exports. In October, climateworks traveled to China to get a sense of the scale of China’s solar manufacturing efforts and talk to some local experts about China’s goals for dramatically scaling up its domestic deployment of solar energy technologies.

www.energybrainiac.com – Low Cost Homemade Solar Panels – Your Home Energy Solution on a Shoestring! Many homeowners would love to be able to install their own low cost homemade solar panels and cut down on their monthly electricity bills. Wouldn’t you? A growing number of people have already done just that and they are proof that this is a simple and effective method of saving money. Things to Consider when Installing A Home Solar Power System If you want to harness the sun’s power, it is best if your home faces south. A roof that faces south and receives direct and unobstructed sunlight would be the ideal place to install your solar panels. If this is not feasible for some reason, however, you can always install them in a part of your backyard that receives direct sunlight as well. There are ready-made solar panel kits for sale on the market. But typically costing 00 or more these kits are often beyond the budget of most homeowners, especially with the current state of the economy. A far less expensive way to harness free energy from the sun is to build your own low cost solar power system. You will find a great number of instructional guides online that will walk you through the entire process. Even if you have never attempted any DIY projects before, you are sure to find these instructions easy to understand and follow. Within a few days, you should have your own homemade solar power system operational. The best thing about building your own solar panels is that it …