ESA - Observing the Earth - Sunshine mapping from space means brighter solar energy future

About Observing the Earth

How does Earth Observation work?How to get Earth observation data Integrating Earth Observation in your job Earth Observation users speak

EO programmes

The Living Planet GMES

ESA's Earth Observing missions

Envisat overview ERS overview Earth Explorers overview Sentinels overview MSG overview MetOp overview Proba-1 overview Third Party Missions overview

Opportunities with us

Education & training International cooperation Milestones & announcements EO conferences organised by ESA

Multimedia

Image Gallery Video Gallery Online resources RSS feeds

Services

Calendar Subscribe

Article Images

Sunshine mapping from space means brighter solar energy future

29 June 2005

Back to article

This animation shows changes in the solar radiation over Europe and how it evolves over the course of a year. These maps were computed by fusing radiation values obtained either by ground stations or by processing satellite data.

Credits: Copyright Ecole des Mines de Paris, 2000

Back to article

The solar market in photovoltaics – the direct conversion of sunlight to electricity – has an annual turnover of 600 million euros in Germany and 1000 million euros in the rest of Europe, a figure predicted to increase to 2500 million euros by this decade's end.

Back to article

Scheme showing how the ENVISOLAR solar plant management service operates, known as PVSAT-2. Satellite-derived radiance data serves as a basis of an automated performance check to ensure a plant is functioning optimally. A number of solar plants have so far been included in market trials.

Credits: Copyright Univ. Oldenburg

Back to article

Download:

HI-RES JPG (Size: 98 kb)

Monthly mean European irradiance map from Meteosat-7 for April 2000, measured in Watt hours per metre squared, (Wh/m²).

Credits: Copyright Univ. Oldenburg

Back to article

Example of water vapour column product derived from Meteosat Second Generation (MSG). Such Earth Observations are used as inputs for solar irradiance products in ENVISOLAR.

Credits: DLR

Back to article

Examples of cloud parameter products derived from Meteosat Second Generation (MSG). To the left is an MSG composite, in the centre is cloud cover, and to the right is optical thickness. These Earth Observation results are used as input for solar irradiance products in ENVISOLAR.

Credits: DLR

Back to article

Assimilation of MSG radiance data and Envisat atmospheric measurements into radiative transfer models enables the making of ultraviolet (UV) forecasts. An ESA Earth Observation Market Development (EOMD) project called HappySun Mobile aims to deliver text message warnings about safe sunbathing limits to holidays based on UV forecasting.

Credits: ESA