Chris Smith

Project Title: Radiative transfer methods for solar irradiance resource modelling in current and future climates

My research focuses on assessing current and future solar resource. With atmospheric input parameters from climate and numerical weather prediction models (NWPs), it is possible to model the transmission of sunlight through the atmosphere and predict ground-level irradiance. Radiative transfer techniques have been used extensively to model clear-sky irradiance but clouds often present a significant problem, so in practice an empirical adjustment from satellite data to take into account clouds is usually added. I will aim to integrate cloud data currently available from NWPs and climate models into a reliable model for solar resource prediction, thus allowing this model to be used for future resource modelling. I have used NWP data to determine the possible benefit of passive cooling of solar cells using phase change materials (PCMs) on a global scale. In collaborative work with Jamie Bright I have analysed cloud statistics from UK Meteorological Office data, coupled with a radiative transfer method, to feed into a minutely solar irradiance generator model. Another aspect of my work involves optimising solar photovoltaic collector tilt angle using calculated direct and diffuse radiance fields. I am also investigating the spectral composition of sunlight under a variety of atmospheric scenarios, and applying this to the spectral response of different solar photovoltaic materials.