Date of Award
January 2018
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Atmospheric Sciences
First Advisor
Michael Poellot
Abstract
Solar energy has seen ever-increasing implementation as a power source throughout the world since its introduction into the energy production market. Meteorological parameters including temperature, wind speed and albedo can have significant impacts on the amount of power that is produced at a utility-scale solar farm. This study sought to review the sensitivity of solar energy production to these varying weather parameters. The modeled sensitivity was tested by running simulations using modified weather data and comparing the power output to a baseline simulation. Results show that temperature has a significant effect in the efficiency of the solar panels, and by extension, the power produced. Wind speed plays a significant role in heat dissipation, while modifying albedo results in a change in the power produced as well, albeit to a lesser extent.
Recommended Citation
Smith, Nathan, "A Study Of The Sensitivity Of Solar Power Generation To Varying Weather Conditions" (2018). Theses and Dissertations. 2350.
https://commons.und.edu/theses/2350