Solar Radiation Calculation in India

India’s space research agency ISRO seems to have found another major revenue stream after it signed an agreement with power conglomerate Adani, to provide accurate solar insolation data using its satellites to the large utility scale solar panel plants across the country.

ISRO and Adani have signed an MOU to provide data from INSAT-3DR, INSAT-3D and Kalpana-1 satellites. Optimization of existing solar assets has become a vital new business as getting the solar panels to operate at their maximum efficiency can lead to a substantial increase in power generation and revenues for the power plant operators.

Also, read about ISRO’s Solar Calculator App.

The importance of the solar radiation data will be used in two ways:

a) Controlling the temperature of the solar panels. If the temperature becomes too high then water can be poured on the panels to bring their temperature down and ensure that they are at 35 degrees Celsius which is the best temperate for solar panels to operate.

b) It will also help orient the solar panels in a direction which leads to maximum energy generation.

As solar power parks proliferate around the country, utilizing these assets to the maximum is an important activity and should be used by other companies. ISRO plans to sell this service to other power plant operators as well. Note this will also help India’s “Make in India” policy as Adani will substitute data being provided by foreign satellite providers to India.