A limited assessment and characterization of the solar radiation energy resources in the Caribbean region

Technical Report · Mon Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:7050678

Hulstrom, R L

The objective of our work was to produce a preliminary assessment and characterization of the Caribbean region (Barbados, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Jamaica, and Panama) solar radiation energy resources. Such information will be used to estimate the performance of, and identify the most promising applications of, solar heat technologies in the Caribbean region. We expect the solar radiation resources in the Caribbean region to be very location specific. Sunny areas will have an annual direct-beam resource of about 3,000 kWhm/sup /minus 2// and a global solar radiation resource of about 2,500 kWhm/sup /minus 2//. Cloud-covered areas will have annual solar radiation resources of about 1,500 kWhm/sup /minus 2/ for both the direct-beam and the global solar radiation. Monthly levels of solar radiaion will vary markedly, ranging from an average of 9 to 3 kWhm/sup /minus 2//day/sup /minus 1// for the direct-beam and from an average of 7 to 4 kWhm/sup /minus 2//day/sup /minus 1// for the global solar radiation. The Caribbean region is comparable to the Great Plains region of the US, in terms of annual solar radiation resources; however, thorough ''prospecting'' is required to avoid areas having very low amounts of solar radiation.

• Research Organization: Solar Energy Research Inst., Golden, CO (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-83CH10093
• OSTI ID: 7050678
• Report Number(s): SERI/PR-215-3292; ON: DE88001133
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
BARBADOS
SOLAR RADIATION
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
GUATEMALA
JAMAICA
PANAMA
ALGORITHMS
CLOUDS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
MEASURING METHODS
RAIN
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CENTRAL AMERICA
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
GREATER ANTILLES
HISPANIOLA
ISLANDS
LATIN AMERICA
LESSER ANTILLES
MATHEMATICAL LOGIC
RADIATIONS
STELLAR RADIATION
WEST INDIES
140100* - Solar Energy- Resources & Availability