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From clouds to kilowatts: illuminating PV potential with diffuse irradiance insights

Published in: Solar, Digital Blog

From clouds to kilowatts: illuminating PV potential with diffuse irradiance insights image

Unlocking Solar Potential Through Diffuse Irradiance

As solar technology evolves, accurate measurement of solar irradiance—including the often-overlooked diffuse component—has become critical. EKO Instruments leads innovation with its MS-80SH Plus+ system, empowering PV engineers and researchers to capture, analyze, and optimize solar energy under all sky conditions, especially cloudy ones.

Why Diffuse Irradiance Matters

Traditional solar assessments prioritize direct irradiance, but modern PV systems, especially bifacial modules, demand better understanding of diffuse light. Key challenges include:

• Misjudging energy yield in cloudy conditions due to reliance on direct irradiance.

• Underestimating the performance of bifacial panels in high-albedo or overcast environments.

• Technical limitations of standard pyranometers in capturing diffuse irradiance accurately.

Enhanced Monitoring & Risk Management

EKO’s MS-80SH Plus+ system offers a refined approach to irradiance monitoring by integrating:

• A rotating shadow band to isolate diffuse light accurately.

• Automated position tracking for real-time solar position alignment.

• Compatibility with digital monitoring tools like SCADA and Modbus platforms.

Technology-Driven Measurement Solutions

The system supports comprehensive solar assessment by measuring:

• Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI).

• Diffuse Horizontal Irradiance (DHI) with minimal uncertainty.

• Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) through advanced calculations.

• Optional albedo tracking via additional sensors.

Future-Proof Data and Applications

From installation guidance to high-speed data collection (up to 1-second intervals), the MS-80SH Plus+ is built for both research and industrial use. It:

• Meets BSRN quality criteria for resource assessment.

• Supports Plane of Array calculations for PV performance optimization.

• Offers simplified integration and robust diagnostics with Obi software.

Read the full article here: https://pes.eu.com/exclusive-article/from-clouds-to-kilowatts-illuminating-pv-potential-with-diffuse-irradiance-insights/

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