Thesis (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1993

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering.

There is no detailed information on solar radiation in Myanmar for solar energy, agricultural, meteorological and other applications. The main objective of this research was to determine the monthly mean daily global solar radiation at the ground surface in Myanmar using satellite images. The statistical improved bi-spectral model developed by RAFIQUL ISLAM (1993) is used to calculate the estimated radiation values at ground targets of size 111 km by 111 km using the low resolution APT (Automatic Picture Transmitted) images from NOAA polar orbiting satellites. Ground measured radiation values from selected stations are used as auxiliary data. The image receiving station is low cost and installed at AIT, Thailand. The present study area, Myanmar, lies within the coverage area of the receiver. ISLAM's operational software package, RADMAP, is used to produce the monthly mean daily total global solar radiation for this study area. The mean standard error of estimate of the model was 12.36% in Chiangmai, 13.3% in AIT and 14.43% in Yangon. These errors for the three stations varied in the range 6.34%-18.99%, 10.51%-19.16% and 6.11%-23.51% respectively. The r.m.s error of estimating monthly mean of daily values were 1.77 MJ/m2 per day, 1.44 MJ/m2 per day and 2.16 MJ/m2 per day for Chiangmai, AIT and Yangon respectively. The daily and monthly mean radiation maps produced can be explained by the climatological and geographical effects on the insolation distribution and variability over space and time. It has been shown that the estimated monthly mean daily total global solar radiation can be produced for Myanmar with acceptable accuracy and operational efficiency using the low cost NOAA APT images.