The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) today said its Ahmedabad-based Space Applications Centre has developed an android app for computing the solar energy potential of a place.
Developed at the behest of the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, the app is considered to be a “very useful” tool for installation of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels that is used for tapping solar energy, it said.
The ISRO said the app provides monthly and yearly solar potential and the minimum and the maximum temperatures at any location.
It also displays the location of a place on the satellite image as well as the days length there during different periods in a year.
According to the ISRO, features of the app include providing of solar energy potential at any given location, the required location can be keyed in or can be obtained through GPS.
It said it also gives monthly and yearly solar potential processed using Indian Geostationary Satellite data (Kalpana- 1, INSAT-3D and INSAT-3DR), and also offers monthly minimum and maximum temperature to calculate the realistic solar potential.
The obstruction of sunlight due to terrain is also calculated using Digital Elevation Model (DEM) with the help of the app which also suggests optimum tilt angle for the solar PV installation.
Following are the major features of the App:
- The App provides solar energy potential (in kWh/m2) at any given location
- The required location can be keyed in or can be obtained through GPS
- It gives monthly and yearly solar potential processed using Indian Geostationary Satellite data (Kalpana-1, INSAT-3D and INSAT-3DR). It also offers monthly minimum and maximum temperature to calculate realistic solar potential
- Location is displayed on image with satellite data in the background
- It also provides azimuth and elevation angles, and day length over different time periods in a year.
- Obstruction of sunlight due to terrain is also calculated using Digital Elevation Model (DEM)
- It also suggests optimum tilt angle for solar PV installation
- This App needs internet connection to calculate the results
- Complete report can be saved as a PDF file