Objective

The major goal of this work package is to demonstrate and evaluate core service lines related to radiation at the surface. This includes global UV irradiance monitoring and forecasts and multi-continental solar irradiance (on request) time series and NRT information targeted at solar energy applications.

Background and Methodology

This work package builds on experiences gained within the GEMS and ENVISOLAR (ESA Earth Observation Market Development program) projects and links to the International Energy Agency Task 36 and the FP7 coordination action MESOR on solar resource knowledge management.

A high-quality system of global UV monitoring constitutes a valuable tool to provide global coverage for UV impact studies. It is equally important to have UV forecasting capabilities to produce global UV forecasts that are disseminated to the public. The UV monitoring and forecasting system within the ECMWF IFS system developed in the GEMS project will be further improved in MACC. Currently, the major remaining uncertainties are the treatment of absorbing aerosols and snow/ice albedo in the UV. Extended validation studies will focus on these questions.

With regard to renewable energies, the service will meet the needs of European and national policy development and the requirements of (commercial) downstream services (e.g. planning, monitoring, efficiency improvements, integration into energy supply grids). The SOLEMI service (operated by MACC partner DLR)  and the SoDa service (operated by MACC partner ARMINES and its subsidiary Transvalor) have been specifically developed in several national, European and ESA projects to fulfil the requirements for long-term databases and NRT services. MACC will improve these  services further including improved aerosol and snow information.

A specific test case for a downstream service building on the solar radiation core service line will be included. It uses solar irradiance data from the core service for different web services based on GIS technology and devoted to the solar photovoltaic plants, solar thermal plants and UV damage to materials.

The Team

Armines

Lucien Wald
Philippe Blanc
Benoit Gschwind
Mireille Lefèvre
Lionel Menard

DLR

Marion Schroedter-Homscheidt, sub-project lead
Armel Oumbe

FMI

Antti Arola

Flyby

Simone Mandica