Solar Information - Solar Irradiation
Solar Radiation Map of Australia
This map plots design insolation to the
extent known on the surface of the earth. The design insulation is the average
value of the total sugar energy received each day on an optimally tilted surface
during the month with the lowest solar radiation received on that surface. The
unit of measurement is kilowatt-hrs/m²/day. The solar constant at the earth's
surface is approximately 1 kw/m² so these units are often referred to as
equivalent (peak) sun hours.
The design insolation is the figure of
merit for designing solar photovoltaic systems where the electrical demand is
continuous or is not expected to vary seasonally. The design insolation is used
to estimate the maximum solar array size that will be required for a given
electrical load at a given location.
Radiation Chart at Latitude Angle
TABLE 3 TOTAL GLOBAL RADIATION ON A NORTH
FACING FLAT-PLATE INCLINED AT LATITUDE ANGLE
(kWh/m 2 -day)
|
LOCATION |
J
|
F
|
M
|
A
|
M
|
J
|
J
|
A
|
S
|
O
|
N
|
D
|
AVG
|
|
Adelaide |
7.8 |
7.3 |
6.3 |
5.0 |
3.8 |
3.5 |
3.4 |
4.4 |
5.3 |
6.5 |
7.0 |
7.4 |
5.6 |
|
Albany |
7.1 |
6.2 |
5.3 |
4.1 |
3.5 |
3.2 |
3.4 |
4.0 |
4.7 |
5.6 |
6.1 |
6.8 |
5.0 |
|
Alice Springs |
7.6 |
7.0 |
6.8 |
6.5 |
5.4 |
5.0 |
5.5 |
6.2 |
7.1 |
7.3 |
7.6 |
7.7 |
6.5 |
|
Brisbane |
6.9 |
6.6 |
6.0 |
5.8 |
4.8 |
4.4 |
4.8 |
5.4 |
6.5 |
6.5 |
7.3 |
6.9 |
6.0 |
|
Broome |
5.6 |
6.2 |
6.3 |
6.5 |
5.8 |
5.4 |
5.9 |
6.6 |
7.2 |
7.4 |
6.1 |
5.9 |
6.2 |
|
Cairns |
5.3 |
5.8 |
5.7 |
5.6 |
4.8 |
4.7 |
4.8 |
5.6 |
6.4 |
6.6 |
5.7 |
5.4 |
5.5 |
|
Canberra |
7.4 |
7.0 |
6.2 |
5.5 |
4.1 |
3.7 |
3.9 |
4.5 |
5.6 |
6.2 |
7.0 |
7.3 |
5.7 |
|
Carnarvon |
7.7 |
7.5 |
7.0 |
5.7 |
5.4 |
4.8 |
5.4 |
6.1 |
7.1 |
7.6 |
7.8 |
8.1 |
6.7 |
|
Ceduna |
7.8 |
7.3 |
6.4 |
5.4 |
4.2 |
3.8 |
4.1 |
4.9 |
5.8 |
6.7 |
7.1 |
7.3 |
5.9 |
|
Charleville |
7.5 |
7.3 |
6.7 |
6.4 |
5.1 |
4.7 |
5.2 |
5.8 |
6.9 |
7.3 |
7.8 |
7.4 |
6.5 |
|
Cloncurry |
5.8 |
6.8 |
6.5 |
6.7 |
5.7 |
5.5 |
5.8 |
6.5 |
7.2 |
7.6 |
7.8 |
5.9 |
6.4 |
|
Cobar |
7.6 |
7.6 |
5.6 |
6.0 |
4.6 |
4.1 |
4.5 |
5.1 |
6.4 |
6.9 |
7.7 |
7.7 |
6.0 |
|
Coff's Harbour |
6.8 |
6.6 |
6.2 |
5.6 |
4.6 |
4.2 |
4.7 |
5.1 |
6.3 |
6.4 |
7.2 |
6.8 |
5.9 |
|
Daly Waters |
5.4 |
5.8 |
5.9 |
6.4 |
5.5 |
5.6 |
5.7 |
6.6 |
6.8 |
6.9 |
5.8 |
5.6 |
6.0 |
|
Darwin |
5.3 |
5.2 |
5.7 |
6.4 |
5.8 |
5.8 |
5.9 |
6.5 |
6.8 |
6.7 |
5.9 |
5.5 |
5.9 |
|
Forrest |
7.6 |
7.0 |
6.4 |
5.5 |
4.5 |
4.0 |
4.4 |
5.1 |
6.4 |
6.9 |
7.5 |
7.3 |
6.1 |
|
Geraldton |
7.8 |
7.6 |
7.1 |
5.4 |
5.0 |
4.3 |
4.7 |
5.3 |
6.5 |
7.2 |
7.5 |
8.0 |
6.4 |
|
Giles |
7.5 |
6.9 |
6.8 |
6.3 |
5.1 |
4.8 |
5.5 |
6.1 |
7.1 |
7.3 |
7.6 |
7.3 |
6.5 |
|
Gladstone |
7.1 |
6.9 |
6.3 |
6.1 |
5.2 |
4.8 |
5.1 |
5.7 |
6.8 |
7.0 |
7.4 |
7.1 |
6.3 |
|
Hall's Creek |
5.6 |
6.8 |
6.1 |
6.5 |
5.6 |
5.5 |
5.6 |
6.4 |
7.0 |
6.9 |
7.2 |
5.7 |
6.3 |
|
Hobart |
7.0 |
6.3 |
5.3 |
4.2 |
3.1 |
2.9 |
3.1 |
3.8 |
4.7 |
6.0 |
6.3 |
6.7 |
4.9 |
|
Kalgoorlie |
8.1 |
7.4 |
6.8 |
5.2 |
4.7 |
4.0 |
4.4 |
5.2 |
6.4 |
7.1 |
7.6 |
7.9 |
6.3 |
|
Launceston |
7.5 |
6.9 |
5.8 |
4.5 |
3.4 |
2.9 |
3.1 |
3.9 |
5.0 |
6.3 |
6.9 |
7.2 |
5.3 |
|
Longreach |
7.4 |
7.0 |
7.0 |
6.5 |
5.3 |
5.0 |
5.4 |
6.0 |
7.2 |
7.5 |
8.2 |
7.4 |
6.6 |
|
Mackay |
5.5 |
6.3 |
5.9 |
5.6 |
4.8 |
4.8 |
5.0 |
5.5 |
6.6 |
6.8 |
7.2 |
5.6 |
5.8 |
|
Meeketharra |
7.5 |
7.1 |
6.7 |
5.4 |
5.1 |
4.5 |
5.1 |
5.8 |
7.0 |
7.4 |
7.6 |
7.8 |
6.4 |
|
Melbourne |
7.1 |
6.5 |
5.7 |
4.6 |
3.4 |
3.1 |
3.2 |
3.9 |
4.8 |
5.8 |
6.3 |
6.8 |
5.1 |
|
Mildura |
8.0 |
7.8 |
6.9 |
5.7 |
4.2 |
3.8 |
4.0 |
4.8 |
5.8 |
6.8 |
7.5 |
7.9 |
6.1 |
|
Mt Gambier |
7.2 |
6.5 |
5.6 |
4.3 |
3.3 |
3.1 |
3.1 |
3.9 |
4.7 |
5.8 |
6.2 |
6.7 |
5.0 |
|
Nhill |
8.1 |
7.6 |
6.6 |
5.2 |
3.8 |
3.4 |
3.4 |
4.4 |
5.4 |
6.7 |
7.1 |
7.8 |
5.8 |
|
Onslow |
6.0 |
6.9 |
7.1 |
5.8 |
5.4 |
5.1 |
5.8 |
6.2 |
7.2 |
7.7 |
8.1 |
6.2 |
6.4 |
|
Oodnadatta |
7.9 |
7.5 |
7.2 |
6.4 |
4.9 |
4.6 |
5.1 |
5.8 |
7.0 |
7.2 |
7.6 |
7.8 |
6.4 |
|
Perth |
8.1 |
7.7 |
6.7 |
5.0 |
4.5 |
3.6 |
4.0 |
4.8 |
5.9 |
6.8 |
7.3 |
7.9 |
6.0 |
|
Port Hedland |
5.8 |
6.6 |
6.6 |
6.2 |
5.6 |
5.3 |
5.8 |
6.3 |
7.2 |
7.7 |
8.0 |
6.2 |
6.4 |
|
Rockhampton |
6.8 |
6.7 |
6.2 |
5.9 |
5.1 |
4.8 |
5.2 |
5.6 |
6.8 |
6.9 |
7.3 |
6.9 |
6.2 |
|
Sale |
7.2 |
6.6 |
5.7 |
4.5 |
3.5 |
3.1 |
3.3 |
4.0 |
5.0 |
5.8 |
6.5 |
6.8 |
5.2 |
|
Sydney |
6.5 |
6.4 |
5.8 |
5.3 |
4.4 |
3.7 |
4.2 |
4.7 |
5.6 |
5.9 |
6.7 |
6.6 |
5.5 |
|
Tamworth |
7.4 |
7.2 |
6.5 |
5.9 |
4.5 |
4.0 |
4.4 |
4.9 |
6.1 |
6.7 |
7.5 |
7.5 |
6.0 |
|
Thursday Is. |
4.9 |
5.0 |
5.4 |
5.5 |
4.9 |
4.7 |
4.9 |
5.2 |
6.0 |
6.1 |
5.8 |
5.3 |
5.3 |
|
Townsville |
5.5 |
6.4 |
6.1 |
6.0 |
5.1 |
5.0 |
5.3 |
5.7 |
6.8 |
6.9 |
7.2 |
5.7 |
6.0 |
|
Wagga |
7.8 |
7.6 |
6.5 |
5.3 |
4.0 |
3.6 |
3.5 |
4.3 |
5.6 |
6.5 |
7.3 |
7.8 |
5.8 |
|
Williamstown |
6.9 |
6.6 |
6.0 |
5.5 |
4.5 |
3.9 |
4.4 |
4.9 |
5.9 |
6.1 |
7.0 |
7.0 |
5.7 |
|
Woomera |
7.9 |
7.6 |
6.9 |
5.9 |
4.5 |
4.0 |
4.4 |
5.3 |
6.3 |
7.1 |
7.6 |
7.9 |
6.3 |
Selection of Optimal Tilt
Angle
| WATER REQUIREMENT |
LATITUDE |
STANDARD TILT ANGLE |
| Spread over the year |
0° +/-22°29 |
15°
|
| Largest in spring or in autumn
|
+/-22°30 -+/-37°29 |
30°
|
| (LAT) |
+/-37°30 -+/-50°00 |
45°
|
| Largest in Summer |
0° +/-37°29 |
15°
|
| (LAT - 15°) |
+/-37°30 -+/-50°00 |
30°
|
| |
0° +/-7°29 |
15°
|
| Largest in Winter |
+/-7°30 -+/-22°29 |
30°
|
| (LAT + 15°) |
+/-22°30 -+/-39°99 |
45°
|
| |
+/-40°00 -+/-50°00 |
50°
|
"+: Northern latitude."
"-: Southern latitude."
Note: Minimum tilt angle 15° |
