The national solar radiation data base (NSRDB) for CSP applications

Abstract

This study examines the differences in direct normal irradiance (DNI) in two versions of the National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB) produced by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). NSRDB V3 of the NSRDB includes significant changes to various parts of the radiative transfer model and inputs to the model compared to NSRDB V2. The changes in NSRDB V3 resulted in lower uncertainty than NSRDB V2. The study quantified the uncertainty and the spatial and temporal variability under clear-sky conditions. The uncertainty estimation was performed using a standardized method, The Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM). The evaluation of the accuracy of the NSRDB was conducted using high-quality ground-measurements for seven National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Surface Radiation Budget Network (SURFRAD) stations for 1998–2015.