Systems and methods for simulating time phased solar irradiance plots

摘要

A method for calculating solar irradiance 106 over a predetermined time period for a geographical area 102 including a plurality of geographical points 104 is described. The method is implemented by a computing device 200 coupled to a weather database 312. The method includes receiving a first identifier 304 corresponding to a beginning of the predetermined time period and a second identifier 306 corresponding to an ending of the predetermined time period, receiving weather data 313, 315 from the weather database 312, generating a model of diffuse light and atmosphere attenuation 314, based at least on the first identifier 304, the second identifier 306, and the weather data 313, 315, determining 610 solar parameters, and determining 612 an amount of solar irradiance 106 for each geographical point 104 for each of a plurality of time intervals within the predetermined time period, based at least on the model and the solar parameters.