1. RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN © 2012
www.PosterPresentations.com
How do we make Solar Energy more
reliable?
The Solution for Solar Energy Data
UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering Funding: UC LEADS
Research Team: Ricardo Vidrio, Ed Chen, Dominic Fong, Joel Zahnd PI: Jan Kleissl Mentor: Juan Luis Bosh
The Problem with Solar Energy
Civilian Doppler Radar
Estimated Cost: $5000 - $10,000
Not counting upkeep and maintenance
Source: Ihttp://www.furuno.com/en/systems/meteorological-monitoring/WR-50
Cloud Shadow Speed Sensor
Cheap, Efficient, Reliable, and
Rugged
Provides Short term weather
patterns such as cloud direction,
speed, and intensity with a high
degree of accuracy
Estimated Cost: $300 - $400
Applying the CSS towards Solar
Plants
Results
Weather Conditions observed were
Cloud Direction, Cloud Change,
Multiple Cloud Cover, and Coverage
of Clouds across sky
Split this work up into a group of three
people. Differing opinions were
required in order to register the most
accurate results
Cloud Direction Comparisons
Conclusions
Month
(Evening) Person 1Person 2Similarity
DEC 0.13 0.13 100%
JAN 0.25 0.21 83.30%
FEB 0.26 0.35 75%
MARCH 0.3 0.37 81.80%
APRIL N/A N/A N/A
MAY 0.065 0.16 40%
JUNE 0.069 0.21 33.30%
JULY 0.4 0.53 75%
Month
(Morn) Person 1 Person 2 Similarity
DEC 217.1 219.6 98.50%
JAN 223 219 98.20%
FEB 223 219 98.20%
MARCH 224.1 216.3 96.60%
APRIL 221 202.5 91.70%
MAY 168.8 172.5 97.80%
JUNE 176.9 189.6 93.30%
JULY 221.5 183.2 82.70%
Multiple Cloud Cover
CD (CSS)
Morn
CD
(USI)
#1
CD (USI)
#2
Cloud
Cover
#1
Cloud
Cover
#2
No Cloud No
Cloud
337.5/NN
W
0% 5%
CD (CSS)
Noon
CD
(USI)
#1
CD (USI) #2 Cloud
Cover
#1
Cloud
Cover
#2
No Cloud No
Cloud
337.5/NN
W
0% 5%
Solar Panel Output: Sunny Vs. Cloudy
Orange
sliver
represents
amount of
Solar
energy in
U.S.
Currently
it’s less
than 1%
Comparisons for January 2, 2014
Time
Energy
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy_in_the_United_State
s#/media/File:US_Renewable_Electricity_by_Source.png
Source: Ihttp://uk-
solarpanels.blogspot.com/2
012/05/solar-panels-low-
peak-output.html
Acknowledgements
Cloud Shadow Speed Sensor: The Future of Solar Forecast Technology
Special Thanks to: Jan Kleissl, Juan Luis
Bosch, Victor Fung, Dominic Fong, Joel
Zahnd, Ed Chen and the funding and
support provided by the UC LEADS/UCSD
STARS program