| Solar power
How solar resource variability affects asset performance
Ten-year analysis of solar resource variability across key global markets highlights significant deviations from long-term averages
A ten-year analysis of solar irradiance by Solargis (which describes itself as “a data and software architect for bankable solar investments”) has illustrated the impacts of significant resource variability on several key global solar markets including India, Australia and North America. As margins tighten for solar asset owners and investors, investment in high- quality data is crucial to understanding – and managing – the impacts of this variability on performance and profitability.
Solargis’ 10-year solar performance maps illustrate how solar irradiance levels have deviated from the long-term averages that are often used to underpin production estimates and financial models. Significant variation both above and below these averages has been witnessed across North America, India and Australia, highlighting the variability challenge presented by solar, a promising yet intermittent renewable energy source.
With solar performance coming under increased scrutiny because of changing global energy market conditions, investment in robust resource data throughout the lifetime of solar projects has become a prerequisite for asset owners and operators seeking to manage the financial impacts of this variability. “We are seeing margins tighten on global solar projects, due to multiple factors like the phase out of tax credits and subsidies, price volatility and rising supply chain costs. High- quality solar data will help to better understand and address deviations from expected production, forecast short-term performance and ultimately support effective integration into modern digitalised grids,” says Solargis CEO Marcel Suri.
“Through our work, we hope to highlight the variability challenge in key markets to best support policymakers, planners and consultants and encourage the adoption of high-quality, long-term data into renewable energy decision making.”
Right, from top bottom:
Global horizontal irradiation, yearly to long-term average difference, for Australia, India and North America
www.modernpowersystems.com | May 2022 | 31
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