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 Dr. Tom Acker along with the Institute for Sustainable Energy Solutions (ISES) at NAU is working with WindLogics to evaluate the reliability of the solar resource to determine the viability of a large scale energy generation project at the COBar Ranch. The current evaluation method uses a square mile monitoring station with many data collection devices to determine the reliability of the irradiance. The small-scale solar irradiance project will implement a device which accurately models the irregularities of solar irradiance when compared to the current site. The goal of the project is to streamline data collection while minimizing cost, land area usage, and system assembly time. This will be achieved by implementing five Li-Cor LI-200 Pyranometers, arranged in a cross pattern located 40 feet apart, connected to one centrally located Campbell Scientific CR-1000 Data Logger. To reduce the overall set up time for the site, and to create an easier experience for the client, the sensors will be mounted to tripods secured to the ground. A statistical analysis of the current site’s irradiance data determined average cloud event speeds as well as their direction vectors. Using this information as well as the chosen sensor spacing the data sampling rate was set at 4Hz to ensure the site will be able to accurately model the variance in the solar product.
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