Potential Impacts of Clouds and Aerosols on Solar Energy Production Using a Radiative Transfer Model: A Case Study of Phitsanulok, Thailand

Clouds and aerosols can decrease solar energy production. This study applied the libRadtran model and the pvlib-python tool to investigating the potential impacts of these two factors, using input data from the ERA5, CAMS, and MERRA2 reanalysis products and direct measurement data at at a site in Phitsanulok, a province in the upper central region of Thailand, over a period of 12 years (2009-2020). Overall, LRT performs acceptably well in terms of correlation, bias, and error. For POAI, clouds cause 39.6% reduction while aerosols result in 18.8% reduction, considering both dry and wet seasons together. In the dry season, GHI is relatively low while POAI is opposite due probably to direct radiation still sufficiently maintained when reaching the surface in support of solar energy production. The nature of the work and results presented here are considered preliminary and subject to further enhancement.