Modelling of Instant Solar Radiation Using Average Instant Temperature of Ogbomoso, South Western, Nigeria

Abstract

The paper is aimed at proffering an alternative means to the meteorological measuring stations by generating models for average instant solar radiation as a function of instant average temperature at places where measurement are not available. The data were processed using Microsoft excel software programming and regression analysis to generate a set of models for both morning and afternoon sessions of instant solar radiation of Ogbomoso as a function of temperature. In order to validate these models, statistical indicators like RMSE, MBE and MPE were used. The value of RMSE, MBE and MPE statistical indicators for morning and afternoon set of data were calculated to be 0.001219, -0.0000002, 0.0059% and 0.00033769, -0.00171225, -4.82%, respectively. From the t-test statics, percentage error between the measured and calculated values of instant average temperature, it is revealed that the set of models in this work can adequately be used in place of the data from the measuring stations since there is complementary relationship between the measured and the calculated instant solar radiation of Ogbomoso. And this modelling result could be used to estimate instant solar radiation at places where measurements are not available to design high performance solar radiation related devices.