MSE624

Energy Materials and Technologies

L-2
08-01-24
• Objective: Convert solar energy to electrical-energy

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• Q1) How much energy is available from the solar spectrum ?

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Sun

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https://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/science/objects/sun1.html

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• The Sun as a blackbody emitter

• A blackbody is an ideal absorber and emitter of radiation

• The spectral emissive power of a blackbody is the

Power emitted per unit area per unit wavelength at wavelength of 
Incropera
• Comparing the energy emitted by the Sun to that of a blackbody emitter

https://astronomy.com/
 The Solar Constant (Isc)
• The Sun is considered to produces a constant amount of energy.
At the surface of the Sun the intensity of the solar radiation is
about 6.33×107 W/m2 (note that this is a power, in watts, per
unit area in meters). As the Sun’s rays spread out into space the
radiation becomes less intense and by the time the rays reach
the edge of the Earth’s atmosphere they are considered to be
parallel.
Surface temperature: 10,000
degrees Fahrenheit.

https://www.nasa.gov/sun

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MSE681: Solar Energy Technologies and Materials
The Solar Constant…………….continue
• Isun: power density at the sun's surface (in W/m2) as determined by Stefan-
Boltzmann's blackbody equation;
• Rsun is the radius of the sun in meters
• D is the distance from the sun in meters

Isc Isun

MSE681: Solar Energy Technologies and

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Materials
• Solar Constant (Isc)
The solar constant is the amount of energy received at the top of
the Earth's atmosphere on a surface oriented perpendicular to the
Sun’s rays (at the mean distance of the Earth from the Sun).

The generally accepted solar constant of 1367 W/m2 is a satellite

measured yearly average.

The word ‘constant’ is a little misleading since, because of the

Earth’s elliptical orbit the intensity of the solar radiation falling on
the Earth changes by about 7% between January 1st, when the
Earth is nearest to the Sun, and July 3rd, when the Earth is furthest
from the Sun (figure 1.2). An yearly average value is thus taken
and the solar constant equals 1367 W/m2. Even this value is
inaccurate since the output of the sun changes by about ±0.25%
due to Sun spot cycles.
The Solar Irradiance (I0) [At the outer edge of the
atmosphere]
• The solar radiation intensity falling on a surface is called
irradiance or insolation and is measured in W/m2 or kW/m2.
The solar constant can be used to calculate the irradiance
incident on a surface perpendicular to the Sun’s rays outside
the Earth’s atmosphere on any day of the year (i.e. as the
distance between the Sun and Earth changes through the
year):

• I0 = extraterrestrial (outside the atmosphere) irradiance on a

plane perpendicular to the Sun’s rays (W/m2),
• ISC = the solar constant (1367 W/m2),
• n = the day of the year such that for January the 1st n = 1.
• Few terms related to radiative fluxed
Solar Irradiance

Mean Solar
Planet Distance (x 109 m)
Irradiance (W/m2)
Mercury 57 9116.4
Venus 108 2611.0
Earth 150 1366.1
Mars 227 588.6
Jupiter 778 50.5
Saturn 1426 15.04
Uranus 2868 3.72
Neptune 4497 1.51
Pluto 5806 0.878

MSE681: Solar Energy Technologies and

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Materials
Solar Irradiance on Earth Surface
• While the solar radiation incident on the Earth's atmosphere is relatively
constant, the radiation at the Earth's surface varies considerably due to:
• atmospheric effects, including absorption and scattering;
• local variations in the atmosphere, such as water vapor, clouds, and pollution;
• latitude of the location; and
• the season of the year and the time of day.

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Incropera
 Losses
• Reduction in the power of the solar
radiation due to absorption,
scattering and reflection in the
atmosphere;
• Change in the spectral content of
the solar radiation due to greater
absorption or scattering of some
wavelengths;
• Introduction of a diffuse or indirect
component into the solar radiation;
and
• Local variations in the atmosphere
(such as water vapor, clouds and
pollution) which have additional
effects on the incident power,
spectrum and directionality.
https://www.pveducation.org/
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• Air Mass (AM): This represents the path length that the solar radiation has to
cross before arriving at the Earth’s surface. The Air Mass to be crossed when the
Sun is overhead is taken as one unit, that is, Air Mass 1 or AM1 radiation.
• Diffuse and Direct radiation
 Name Standard Conditions Intensit Comment
y
W/m2
AM-0 ASTME E490 Just outside the 1,353
earth’s atmosphere
AM-1 CIE Sun overhead, sea 1,000
Publication level, horizontal
85 surface
ΑΜ- ASTM G173- Tilted surface at 963.8 Global Radiation – these
1.5G 03 37°, zenith 48°, conditions reflect the
(replacing facing due south, average of the 48
ASTM E891 albedo 0.3, turbidity contiguous states of the
& E892) 0.29, 20°C ambient US.
AM- temperature 768.3 Direct Radiation
1.5D
AM- CIE 1,000 Same as AM-1.5G ATM E-
1.5G 892, however it is
normalized to 1kW/m2 by
simple multiplication.
AM-2 Zenith 60°.
http://www.greenrhinoenergy.com/solar/radiation/spectra.php
 https://www.nrel.gov/grid/solar-resource/spectra-am1.5.html

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Air Mass
• AM0
• The spectrum outside the atmosphere, approximated by the 5,800 K black
body, is referred to as "AM0", meaning "zero atmospheres".
• AM1
• The spectrum after travelling through the atmosphere to sea level with the
sun directly overhead is referred to, by definition, as "AM1".
• AM1.5
• at =48.2°.
• AM38
• Close to horizon

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 https://www.pveducation.org/pvcdrom/properties-of-
sunlight/solar-radiation-on-a-tilted-surface
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• Solar Components
• Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI)
• It is the radiation incident on a plane normal or perpendicular to the line
connecting the observer and the center of the solar disk

• Diffuse irradiance (DHI)

• DHI is the diffuse radiation incident on a horizontal plane.
• Diffuse radiation: It is the solar radiation scattered out of the direct
beam by the atmosphere

• The global hemispherical radiation (GHI)

 • Standard reference conditions for
reporting the performance of PV cells:

standard reporting conditions-defined as a

reference temperature (25°C), total
irradiance (1000 W/m2), and spectral
irradiance distribution (IEC standard 60904-
3, ASTM standard G173). Typically, these are
"global" reference conditions

http://www.nrel.gov/pv/measurements/device_performance.html https://solarconsultingservices.com/referencespectra.php

http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/spectra/am1.5/
Solar Simulators

https://electronicsmaker.com/sp
ectrum-solar-simulators
https://www.azooptics.com/Article.as
px?ArticleID=1116
• Classification of solar simulator

https://www.solar-simulator.info/solar-
simulator-classifications.html
• End of slides