Predicting Solar Power Outputs

by Ross Gaines

Submitted : Fall 2018

Solar energy is one of the most clean, cheap, and efficient forms of renewable energy used on earth today, and it is also one of the most widely used. However, obtaining solar energy relies on the intensity of the sun, which can often be unpredictable and ineffective in certain areas that do not receive consistent light. By using several known variables (latitude of the location, inclination of the earth’s axis, time of day, time of year), you can calculate how much power the sun is producing at that given location and time. The overall purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the calculus concepts behind predicting solar energy outputs in different locations and at different times.

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