Solar radiation estimation on a tilted surface using sky models in the Afar region of Ethiopia

The aim of this study is to estimate solar radiation on an inclined surface using sky models. Two anisotropic (direction dependent) and two isotropic (independent of direction) sky models were used for 12.11°N (latitude) and 40.63°E (longitude) in the Afar region of Ethiopia. The sky model outputs w...

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Main Authors: Anshebo Getachew Alemu, Teketel Alemu Anshebo, Bizuayehu Bogale Dessie
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Energy Research
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenrg.2025.1478555/full
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author Anshebo Getachew Alemu
Teketel Alemu Anshebo
Bizuayehu Bogale Dessie
author_facet Anshebo Getachew Alemu
Teketel Alemu Anshebo
Bizuayehu Bogale Dessie
author_sort Anshebo Getachew Alemu
collection DOAJ
description The aim of this study is to estimate solar radiation on an inclined surface using sky models. Two anisotropic (direction dependent) and two isotropic (independent of direction) sky models were used for 12.11°N (latitude) and 40.63°E (longitude) in the Afar region of Ethiopia. The sky model outputs were compared to sample statistical test data from the Ethiopian Meteorological Institute and found to exceed expectations in all cases. We found that the Hay and Davies model predicted the highest incident solar radiation throughout the year. Finally, the model that we propose for estimation of solar radiation events on a tilted surface is the Liu and Jordan (LJ) isotropic model, which has the fewest statistical errors out of all the models evaluated in this study and shows good agreement with the estimated data.
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issn 2296-598X
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Energy Research
spelling doaj-art-d30b5e326d4a4e6aadf03b5e4d0dae702025-08-20T03:08:35ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Energy Research2296-598X2025-04-011310.3389/fenrg.2025.14785551478555Solar radiation estimation on a tilted surface using sky models in the Afar region of EthiopiaAnshebo Getachew Alemu0Teketel Alemu Anshebo1Bizuayehu Bogale Dessie2Department of Physics, Samara University of Applied Science, Samara, EthiopiaDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Wachamo University, Hossana, EthiopiaDepartment Electrical and Computer Engineering, Samara University of Applied Science, Samara, EthiopiaThe aim of this study is to estimate solar radiation on an inclined surface using sky models. Two anisotropic (direction dependent) and two isotropic (independent of direction) sky models were used for 12.11°N (latitude) and 40.63°E (longitude) in the Afar region of Ethiopia. The sky model outputs were compared to sample statistical test data from the Ethiopian Meteorological Institute and found to exceed expectations in all cases. We found that the Hay and Davies model predicted the highest incident solar radiation throughout the year. Finally, the model that we propose for estimation of solar radiation events on a tilted surface is the Liu and Jordan (LJ) isotropic model, which has the fewest statistical errors out of all the models evaluated in this study and shows good agreement with the estimated data.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenrg.2025.1478555/fullisotropic sky modelanisotropic sky modelsolar irradianceAfar regiontilted surfacestatistical test
spellingShingle Anshebo Getachew Alemu
Teketel Alemu Anshebo
Bizuayehu Bogale Dessie
Solar radiation estimation on a tilted surface using sky models in the Afar region of Ethiopia
Frontiers in Energy Research
isotropic sky model
anisotropic sky model
solar irradiance
Afar region
tilted surface
statistical test
title Solar radiation estimation on a tilted surface using sky models in the Afar region of Ethiopia
title_full Solar radiation estimation on a tilted surface using sky models in the Afar region of Ethiopia
title_fullStr Solar radiation estimation on a tilted surface using sky models in the Afar region of Ethiopia
title_full_unstemmed Solar radiation estimation on a tilted surface using sky models in the Afar region of Ethiopia
title_short Solar radiation estimation on a tilted surface using sky models in the Afar region of Ethiopia
title_sort solar radiation estimation on a tilted surface using sky models in the afar region of ethiopia
topic isotropic sky model
anisotropic sky model
solar irradiance
Afar region
tilted surface
statistical test
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenrg.2025.1478555/full
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AT teketelalemuanshebo solarradiationestimationonatiltedsurfaceusingskymodelsintheafarregionofethiopia
AT bizuayehubogaledessie solarradiationestimationonatiltedsurfaceusingskymodelsintheafarregionofethiopia