Solar energy recorder

A serious obstacle to the large-scale terrestrial application of solar energy lies in the scarcity of reliable data on the amount of solar energy at candidate converter sites. This paper describes a system designed to monitor and record, automatically, the values of the direct and total (sun and sky) solar radiation which would be seen by either tracking or fixed-type solar converters. A further pressing need addressed by the system is the means for efficiency testing and evaluation of solar cells, solar collectors and solar concentrator systems, under outdoor exposure to natural sunlight and weather conditions for extended periods. The design was accomplished in support of the Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA, where design concepts and materials for large-scale terrestrial solar energy converters are currently being evaluated.