[BLDG-SIM] Fraction of Possible Sunshine

Chip Barnaby cbarnaby at wrightsoft.com
Wed Sep 26 10:23:33 PDT 2001


Thanks ... I would expect that sunshine would correlate with solar 
radiation on a long-term basis.  Hourly correlations have not worked well, 
though.  As a bldg-simulationist, I want hourly data.

If you do find useful relationships, that would be great -- you should 
publish your results.


At 11:55 AM 9/26/01, Jon Maxwell wrote:
>I wanted to compare FPS plots against radiation plots so I could learn 
>more about their correlation (or lack thereof) in different locales.  I 
>planned to use one or the other to help me get a sense for possible 
>regional variation in daylighting/dimming controls savings potential.  I 
>had a lot easier time finding radiation data, if it is any consolation to 
>you in your mission, Chip. but I thought sunshine data would be better to 
>use if available.  Tabular data is better for quantitative analysis of 
>course, but I wanted to see pictures.
>
>FYI two good sources for solar radiation plots are:
>
>     - 
> <http://www.homepower.com/solmap.htm>http://www.homepower.com/solmap.htm
>        for an annual plot (attractive training illustration),
>
>     - 
> <http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/old_data/nsrdb/redbook/atlas/Table.html>http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/old_data/nsrdb/redbook/atlas/Table.html 
>
>        for monthly plots by various orientations ( a better analytical tool).
>
>Not to be too contrary but I spot-checked the tabular data from the source 
>in my original email with the homepower map above and the general patterns 
>do seem to correlate pretty well.
>
>Finally, for those of you that are interested, Jeff Haberl responded to me 
>directly with a FPS resource: "I believe that there is a map on Kreith and 
>Kreider's Solar energy handbook...that shows this for the world...using 
>the Angstrom-Lof minutes of sunshine."  Thanks to Jeff.
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <mailto:cbarnaby at wrightsoft.com>Chip Barnaby
>To: <mailto:jmaxwell at aspensys.com>Jon Maxwell
>Cc: <mailto:BLDG-SIM at GARD.COM>BLDG-SIM at GARD.COM
>Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2001 9:12 AM
>Subject: Re: [BLDG-SIM] Fraction of Possible Sunshine
>
>Jon --
>
>I don't know of a source for a map, but I do have a question ... what do 
>you want it for?
>
>I am trying to learn how people use this statistic.  It has been 
>traditionally observed, so people keep observing it.  I am involved in 
>work on ASHRAE TC 4.2 (Weather Information) that is developing methods for 
>extracting solar radiation from weather data measured by ASOS (Automated 
>Surface Observation System) now used to observe weather at most sites in 
>the US.  ASOS has planned to add sunshine meters to their machines (that 
>plan is now delayed due to funding), but it would be just about as easy, 
>and much more useful (in our opinion) to measure solar 
>radiation.  Sunshine fraction is a notoriously bad predictor of solar 
>radiation (the correlations are pretty poor).  With trivial data 
>processing, minute-by-minute solar radiation data can be used to estimate 
>sunshine, but not vice-versa.
>
>Thus as far as I know the solar and building simulation community has no 
>use for sunshine data -- the statistic should be declared obsolete from 
>our point of view.  However, at every opportunity, I try to find why 
>people want it, there may be some other uses that we don't know about.
>
>So, if you're willing, please let me know what you're up to.
>
>To the rest of BLDG-SIM: anyone else know of uses for sunshine fraction?
>
>Thanks, Chip Barnaby
>
>>Does anyone out there have or know of a source for a graphical 
>>illustration of Fraction of Possible Sunshine over the U.S.  I found a 
>>very good table of such data at 
>><http://cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/ftp/ndp021/>http://cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/ftp/ndp021/ 
>>(file #12), but haven't had any luck with a map.  Thanks in advance.
>>
>>Jon Maxwell, PE
>>Aspen Systems Corp.
>><mailto:jmaxwell at aspensys.com>jmaxwell at aspensys.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>---------------------------------------------------------
>Chip Barnaby                   cbarnaby at wrightsoft.com
>Vice President of Research
>Wrightsoft Corp.               781-862-8719 x118 voice
>394 Lowell St, Suite 12        781-861-2058 fax
>Lexington, MA 02420            www.wrightsoft.com
>---------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------
Chip Barnaby                   cbarnaby at wrightsoft.com
Vice President of Research
Wrightsoft Corp.               781-862-8719 x118 voice
394 Lowell St, Suite 12        781-861-2058 fax
Lexington, MA 02420            www.wrightsoft.com
---------------------------------------------------------

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