A case study on the investigation of solar regime in Van, Turkey

Abstract

The electricity generation from solar energy is one of the crucial ways for sustainable growth and it is exploited through solar photovoltaic or solar thermal routes for different purposes. However, solar characteristics of a region play a critical role in planning and designing solar power applications. At this point, the solar radiation data is an essential parameter for a proper solar energy analysis. In this context, the solar regime of Van, Turkey is analyzed broadly in this paper. As a distinct approach, not only the solar radiation parameter but also insolation period and air temperature parameters are considered in the conducted analysis here. This meteorological dataset contains hourly, daily and monthly measurements during a six-month period. Many useful visualizations and reasonable assessments are made for the solar characteristics of Van, Turkey.