María Sánchez-Aparicio

The result of the multidisciplinary collaboration of researchers from different areas of knowledge to validate a solar radiation model is presented. The MAPsol is a 3D local-scale adaptive solar radiation model that allows us to estimate direct, diffuse, and reflected irradiance for clear sky conditions. The model includes the adaptation of the mesh to complex orography and albedo, and considers the shadows cast by the terrain and buildings. The surface mesh generation is based on surface refinement, smoothing and parameterization techniques and allows the generation of high-quality adapted meshes with a reasonable number of elements. Another key aspect of the paper is the generation of a high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM). This high-resolution DEM is constructed from LiDAR data, and its resolution is two times more accurate than the publicly available DEMs. The validation process uses direct and global solar irradiance data obtained from pyranometers at the University of Salamanca located in an urban area affected by systematic shading from nearby buildings. This work provides an efficient protocol for studying solar resources, with particular emphasis on areas of complex orography and dense buildings where shadows can potentially make solar energy production facilities less efficient.

Precise mapping and continuous monitoring of fine-scale surface albedo are indispensable for assessing and optimizing renewable energy sources. Understanding the variations in surface reflectivity is crucial in capturing the full potential of renewable technologies, as it directly impacts the efficiency of harnessing solar energy for sustainable power generation. Satellite remote sensing stands out as the sole practical approach for estimating surface albedo at both regional and global scales. Although there are different methods to calculate albedo from satellite data, most satellite products result in low spatial resolution for large heterogeneous areas, such as urban and peri-urban areas. This paper evaluates and compares several methodologies to calculate surface albedo from Landsat 8 imagery. As a result, a new methodology for estimating surface albedo for heterogeneous areas has been proposed. The new methodology has been compared with direct and indirect albedo measurements, improving the original methodologies of Baldinelli and Silva with respect to the Arctic-Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABOVE) albedo images by reducing the RMSE by 85% and 52%, respectively.