Summary
Existing literature lacks information on formulation and performance assessment of diffuse solar radiation models in the Eastern African region yet this region has a high potential for the utilization of solar energy. The objective of this paper is to assess the performance of seventeen diffuse solar irradiation empirical correlations, at Kampala, Uganda. The best performing correlations were determined using the ranking method. The normalized absolute mean bias error and root mean square error were computed and utilized in the ranking process. The results indicated that the correlations relating diffuse transmittance \((\bar{H}_d/\bar{H}_0)\) with relative sunshine duration \((\bar{S}/\bar{S}_0)\) are more reliable for diffuse solar radiation predictions at least in the Uganda environment. These models are expressed in terms of first, second and third order polynomials of the relative sunshine duration and are particularly recommended for their simplicity and worldwide applicability.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
A Al-Lawati ASS Dorvlo JA Jervase (2003) ArticleTitleMonthly average daily solar radiation and clearness index contour maps over Oman Energy Conv Mgt 44 691–705
J Almorox C Hontoria (2004) ArticleTitleGlobal solar radiation estimation using sunshine duration in Spain Energy Conv Mgt 45 1529–1535 Occurrence Handle10.1016/j.enconman.2003.08.022
A Angstrom (1924) ArticleTitleSolar and terrestrial radiation Quart J Roy Meteor Soc 50 121–125 Occurrence Handle10.1002/qj.49705021008
M Bashahu (2003) ArticleTitleStatistical comparison of models for estimating the monthly average daily diffuse radiation at a subtropical Africa site Solar Energy 75 43–51 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0038-092X(03)00213-5
F Danuso (2002) ArticleTitleClimak: a stochastic model for weather data generation Ital J Agron 6 IssueID1 57–71
JA Duffie WA Beckmann (1980) Solar engineering of thermal processes Wiley-Interscience Publication New York
AA El-Sebaii AA Trabea (2003) ArticleTitleEstimation of horizontal diffuse solar radiation in Egypt Energy Conv Mgt 44 2471–2482 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0196-8904(03)00004-9
M Geiger L Diabate L Menard L Wald (2002) ArticleTitleA web service for controlling the quality of measurements of global solar irradiation Solar Energy 73 IssueID6 475–480 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0038-092X(02)00121-4
J Gonzalez J Calbo (1999) ArticleTitleInfluence of the global radiation variability on the hourly diffuse fraction correlations Solar Energy 65 IssueID2 119–131 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0038-092X(98)00121-2
KK Gopinathan (1988) ArticleTitleEmpirical correlations for diffuse solar radiation Solar Energy 40 369–370 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0038-092X(88)90009-6
RH Grant SE Hollinger KG Hubbard G Hoogenboom RL Vanderlip (2004) ArticleTitleAbility to predict daily solar radiation values from interpolated climate records for use in crop simulation models Agric Forest Meteorol 127 65–75 Occurrence Handle10.1016/j.agrformet.2004.07.016
NH Helwa ABG Bahgat AMR El Shafee ET El Shenawy (2000) ArticleTitleComputation of the solar energy captured by different solar tracking systems Energy Sources 22 35–44 Occurrence Handle10.1080/00908310050014199
MI Hijazin (1998) ArticleTitleThe diffuse fraction of hourly solar radiation for Amman/Jordan Renew Energy 13 IssueID2 249–253 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0960-1481(97)00082-7
M Iqbal (1979) ArticleTitleCorrelation of average diffuse and beam radiation with hours of bright sunshine Solar Energy 23 169–173 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0038-092X(79)90118-X
MG Iziomon TO Aro (1998) ArticleTitleThe diffuse fraction of global solar irradiance at a Tropical location Theor Appl Climatol 61 77–84 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s007040050053
CP Jacovides L Hadjioannou S Pashiardis L Stefanou (1996) ArticleTitleOn the diffuse fraction of daily and monthly global radiation for the Island of Cyprus Solar Energy 56 IssueID6 565–572 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0038-092X(96)81162-5
CP Jacovides DG Kaskaoutis FS Tymvios DN Asimakopoulos (2004) ArticleTitleApplication of SPCTRAL2 parametric model in estimating spectral solar irradiance over polluted Athens atmosphere Renew Energy 29 1109–1119 Occurrence Handle10.1016/j.renene.2003.12.001
Z Jin W Yezheng Y Gang (2004) ArticleTitleEstimation of daily diffuse solar radiation in China Renew Energy 29 1537–1548 Occurrence Handle10.1016/j.renene.2004.01.014
K Kaygusuz (1999) ArticleTitleThe comparison of measured and calculated solar radiations in Trabzon, Turkey Energy Sources 21 347–353 Occurrence Handle10.1080/00908319950014830
C Lingamgunta TN Veziroglu (2004) ArticleTitleA universal relationship for estimating clear sky insolation Energy Conv Mgt 45 27–52 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0196-8904(03)00111-0
H Liu RC Jordan (1960) ArticleTitleThe interrelationship and characteristic distribution of direct, diffuse and total solar radiation Solar Energy 4 IssueID3 1–19 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0038-092X(60)90062-1
AAL Maduekwe MAC Chendo (1997) ArticleTitleAtmospheric turbidity and the diffuse Irradiance in Lagos, Nigeria Solar Energy 61 IssueID4 241–249 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0038-092X(97)00020-0
RT Ogulata SN Ogulata (2002) ArticleTitleSolar radiation in Adana, Turkey Appl Energy 71 351–358 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0306-2619(01)00050-2
AP Oliveira JF Escobedo AJ Machado J Soares (2002) ArticleTitleCorrelation models of diffuse solar-radiation applied to the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil Appl Energy 71 59–73 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0306-2619(01)00040-X
Page JK (1961) The estimation of the monthly mean values of daily total short wave radiation on vertical and inclined surfaces from sunshine records for latitudes 40° N–40° S. Proc. of the UN Conference on new sources of energy, 4: 378–390
P Poggi G Notton M Muselli A Louche (2000) ArticleTitleStochastic study of hourly total solar radiation in Corsica using a Markov model Int J Climatol 20 1843–1860 Occurrence Handle10.1002/1097-0088(20001130)20:14<1843::AID-JOC561>3.0.CO;2-O
T Suzaki A Kume Y Ino (2003) ArticleTitleEvaluation of direct and diffuse radiation densities under forest canopies and validation of the light diffusion effect J For Res 8 283–290 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s10310-003-0038-y
M Tiris C Tiris (1997) ArticleTitleAnalysis of solar radiation data for Gebze, Turkey Energy Conv Mgt 38 IssueID2 179–186 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0196-8904(96)00030-1
K Ulgen A Hepbasli (2004) ArticleTitleSolar radiation models. Part 1: A Review Energy Sources 26 507–520 Occurrence Handle10.1080/00908310490429696
Williamson TJ, Erell E (2001) The thermal performance simulation and the urban microclimate: Measurements and Prediction. Seventh International IBPSA Conference, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Aug 13–15
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mubiru, J., Banda, E. Performance of empirical correlations for predicting monthly mean daily diffuse solar radiation values at Kampala, Uganda. Theor. Appl. Climatol. 88, 127–131 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-006-0249-1
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-006-0249-1