Data from the Sun

The authors plan to implement an insolation data collection system in connection with a solar-energy research program of a local electric utility company. The system will be implemented in two independent parts. The hardware for the first part will consist of an IBM PC-compatible microcomputer equipped with a Metrabyte Dash-16 data acquisition system. The data acquisition hardware will be connected to five pyranometers. The five collection stations will be placed so as to simulate an actual solar power panel. The desired end-product of this data is the effect of cloud cover on solar power generation systems. The second part of the project begins by designing solar-energy data collection units, four of which will be located throughout Kansas. The data will be used to evaluate the various locations´ potentials with respect to solar power production.<>