A Comparison of Different Solar Radiation Models in the Iberian Peninsula
Roca-Fernández, Catalina (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Geografia)
Pons, Xavier (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Geografia)
Ninyerola i Casals, Miquel (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Biologia Animal, de Biologia Vegetal i d'Ecologia)

Fecha:	2025
Resumen:	Solar radiation is a first-order essential climate variable like temperature and precipitation. Its significant spatiotemporal variability, mainly due to atmospheric conditions, makes modelling particularly challenging, especially in regions with complex atmospheric dynamics and sparse meteorological stations. This study evaluates 6 solar radiation models (SARAH, PVGIS, Constant Atmospheric Conditions, Physical Solar Model, CAMS Worldwide, and InsolMets) using monthly measurements from 141 ground-based stations across the Iberian Peninsula from 2004-2020. Although all models consistently captured intra-annual variability, discrepancies in absolute values arise due to factors such as the differences in their functional designs and input parameters. InsolMets, which integrates cloud optical thickness, cloud fractional cover, the diffuse radiation component, and enhanced solar illumination geometry, was the most robust model, showing relevant improvements (61. 5% in January, 59. 7% in November, and 52. 0% in December) compared to the worst-performing model (constant atmospheric conditions). Using as a threshold three times the root-mean-square error (RMSE) proposed by the Global Climate Observing System, InsolMets achieved the highest number of months (10) under this limit, also achieving the best overall result, with only 1 month showing non-significant correlations over the same time span. Nevertheless, SARAH and PVGIS matched InsolMets' performance during March, November, and December. The results provide insights for selecting and improving solar radiation estimations, highlighting the need to incorporate remote sensing atmospheric data to minimize uncertainties. While all models that account for atmospheric effects enhance accuracy, InsolMets stands out as the most accurate model for estimating solar radiation across the Iberian Peninsula throughout the year, achieving the lowest RMSE and normalized RMSE values.
Ayudas:	Agencia Estatal de Investigación PID2023-152719OB-C21 Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2021/SGR-00554 Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2020FI-B00669
Derechos:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Lengua:	Anglès
Documento:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Materia:	Solar radiation ; Solar energy ; Spatiotemporal atmospheric data ; Quality filters ; Model validation processes ; Model comparison
Publicado en:	Atmosphere (Basel), Vol. 16 Núm. 5 (2025) , art. 590, ISSN 2073-4433

DOI: 10.3390/atmos16050590

31 p, 2.0 MB

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