The potency of solar energy on Medan city of Indonesia: Comparison of clear sky, satellite and field measurements

Abstract

Solar energy is expected to fill the renewable energy target of Indonesia. Thus, the potency of solar energy resource in Indonesia need to be known exactly. In this study, the potency of solar energy in Medan city of Indonesia is estimated theoretically using clear sky radiation model. The estimation is compared with satellite measurement and field measurement. The solar resource satellite data drawn from the Global Solar Atlas, belongs to the World Bank Group and provided by SOLARGIS. The measurement is carried out at a location in Medan city at latitude 3°35’ North and longitude 98°39’ East using HOBO micro station data logger. The results shows that the theoretical clear sky radiation model, as expected, shows a higher solar irradiation. The measurement values are closer to data of satellite.