Estimation of the Solar Resources in Kyrgyzstan Using the Meteonorm Computer Program
There are four actinometric stations (AS) in Kyrgyzstan located in the north-eastern part of the country, for which there is no information in open sources for the last 40 years. Databases (DBs) formed on the basis mathematical modeling and results of satellite sensing of the Earth's atmosphere and surface can be used to estimate the solar resources in the other regions of the country. Among the developed global and regional DBs in the field of solar energy, the Swiss Meteonorm DB is most widely used around the world, the adequacy of which can be verified by comparison with the data of actinometric stations. The long-term monthly solar radiation (SR) data contained in the Meteonorm DB are compared with the data of seven actinometric stations of Kyrgyzstan and neighboring countries from two available DBs: the World Radiation Data Center (WRDC) and the Scientific and Applied Reference Book on the Climate in the Soviet Union (SARB). The considered DBs are briefly described. It is shown based on the obtained analysis results that the values of data contained in the Meteonorm DB are higher than the data contained in the WRDC and SARB databases compiled using information from the actinometric stations. Moreover, this exceeding varies not only within the year, but also depending on the terrain latitude. An analysis of the long-term variability of the total SR according to the data of three ASs in the territory of countries neighboring with Kyrgyzstan from the WRDC DB has not revealed any trend of its change. The methods used for the newly developed mathematical model to restore the long-term average annual and monthly values of the total SR in Kyrgyzstan from the Meteonorm DB with taking the terrain latitude into account are described. An updated theoretical potential of solar energy in Kyrgyzstan is presented, and it is shown that the long-term average annual arrival of total solar energy varies insignificantly: from 1656 to 1856 kW-h/m2. Its average value is 1756 kW-h/m2.