Prospecting solar radiation energy with a mesoscale atmospheric model

Abstract

The paper presents potential solar energy regions for the Philippines with an emphasis on areas of Central Luzon. In particular, one-month averages of the geographical distributions and examples of the diurnal variations of shortwave radiations at a PAGASA station are simulated for January and July of 2002 using the Fifth-Generation Penn State/NCAR Mesoscale Model (MM5). The simulated maps and time variations demonstrate the capability of MM5 to incorporate the effects of the seasonal prevailing winds and the topography of the Philippines to the variability of mesoscale patterns of cloudiness and rain.