ISRO develops an android app for computing the solar energy potential of a place

The android 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.

Computation of solar energy potential is essential to select the locations for solar photovoltaic (PV) thermal power plants. The use of remote sensing observations from geostationary satellite sensors is ideal to capture space-time variability of surface insolation. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced that 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 android 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.

According to ISRO The App provides monthly / yearly solar potential (in kWh/m2) and minimum / maximum temperature at any location. It also displays the location on the satellite image and provides azimuth / elevation angles as well as day length over different time periods in a year.

Key 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

The App can be downloaded from “New and Renewable Energy” section at vedas.sac.gov.in