3TIER®, a global leader in renewable energy information services, today released maps illustrating how solar irradiance varied from its normal monthly averages across the U.S. from June through August, 2010. The maps dispel a popular perception that solar energy is relatively consistent from year to year and underscore the need for thorough resource assessments prior to investing in solar projects. Variances in solar irradiance, which are caused by short-term weather anomalies, have a significant impact on the long-term economic viability of both distributed and utility-scale solar power development. “The patterns observed in the solar maps correlate well with the series of weather events that affected the U.S. during these same months,” said Dr. Bart Nijssen, senior vice president of technology at 3TIER. “The variances are quite significant, often in excess of plus or minus 20% of normal. This highlights the need to look beyond basic climatology, or the notion that ‘it’s always sunny here,’ when evaluating a site for development. 3TIER can help developers and financiers quantify and anticipate the variability of their solar resource over the long-term.” Read More
