Experimental validation of a novel methodology for fast an accurate analysis of solar energy yields based on cluster analysis

摘要

The design and optimization of solar power systems requires a detailed knowledge of the dynamic behavior ofrnthe meteorology at the site of interest, usually assess by one typical meteorological year (TMY). Even withrntoday’s technology, the computational effort to simulate solar energy system performance with one year ofrndata at high frequency (as 1-min) may become colossal if a multivariable optimization has to be performed.rnThis work evaluates a methodology based on cluster analysis for selecting number of individual days able tornrepresent the long-term performance of a solar energy system. This procedure permits to drastically reducerncomputational effort related to the calculation of a solar power plant energy yield by simulating a reducedrnnumber of days from a TMY, facilitating a fast and optimal design of the plant.