Radiation from the sun ultimately drives most of the forms of renewable energy discussed in this book, and this chapter describes the solar energy resource and how it is quantified. Direct and diffuse radiation are described with examples of irradiance and insolation (irradiation). The motion of the earth around the sun is described and the position of the sun as seen from the earth is illustrated. The geocentric or earth-centred representation of earth–sun geometry is used to explain the optimal orientation of a solar energy collector. Equations are provided to determine the location of the sun from a point on the earth. The solar spectrum is described and the air mass concept explained. This short chapter is supported by 4 examples, 10 questions with answers and full solutions in the accompanying online material. Further reading and online resources are identified.
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