Determination of global solar radiation using temperature-based model for different climate conditions for Limpopo Province of South Africa

Abstract

The research mainly focused on the determination of global solar radiation using temperature-based model by Hargreaves and Samani for the Northern regions of Limpopo Province of South Africa. The daily maximum and minimum temperature data measured at the following six (6) stations were used: Ammondale, Mutale, Nwanedi, Roedtan, Sekgosese and Xikundu for the period 2008 – 2010. The values of empirical coefficient Kr for the Inland stations of South Africa were computed and used as an input to the model. The observed and calculated global solar radiation data were compared on the basis of the statistical error tests that is mean bias error (MBE), the mean percentage error (MPE) and the root mean square error (RMSE). Based on the statistical results the model was found suitable to estimate monthly average daily global solar radiation for the regions listed above and elsewhere with similar climatic conditions and areas where the radiation data is missing or unavailable. Hence, the study will also help to advance the state of knowledge of global solar radiation to the point where it has applications in the estimation of monthly average daily global solar radiation across.