Solar Irradiance Measurements Using Smart Devices: A Cost-Effective Technique for Estimation of Solar Irradiance for Sustainable Energy Systems

Hussein Al-Taani and Sameer Arabasi
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Hussein Al-Taani: School of Basic Sciences and Humanities, German Jordanian University, P.O. Box 35247, Amman 11180, Jordan
Sameer Arabasi: School of Basic Sciences and Humanities, German Jordanian University, P.O. Box 35247, Amman 11180, Jordan

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 2, 1-11

Abstract: Solar irradiance measurement is a key component in estimating solar irradiation, which is necessary and essential to design sustainable energy systems such as photovoltaic (PV) systems. The measurement is typically done with sophisticated devices designed for this purpose. In this paper we propose a smartphone-aided setup to estimate the solar irradiance in a certain location. The setup is accessible, easy to use and cost-effective. The method we propose does not have the accuracy of an irradiance meter of high precision but has the advantage of being readily accessible on any smartphone. It could serve as a quick tool to estimate irradiance measurements in the preliminary stages of PV systems design. Furthermore, it could act as a cost-effective educational tool in sustainable energy courses where understanding solar radiation variations is an important aspect.

Keywords: smartphone; solar irradiance; smart devices; photovoltaic; solar irradiation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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