Stochastic design of solar energy systems

The impact of the statistical element in the behaviour of solar radiation on the performance of solar energy systems is investigated through a stochastic model constructed for diffuse radiance. A demonstration of the use of such a model in a transient simulation study of three conceptual solar thermal systems is presented. The discussion concentrates on features that would not be observed without the use of stochastic modeling. Only through stochastic simulation can certain design features be assessed quantitatively.