Towards operational mapping of solar radiation from Meteosat images

International audienceMaps of solar energy are required in many fields such as agro-meteorology, climatology, and renewable energies. The objective of our project is to compute a climatological database of solar radiation over Europe, Africa, and Atlantic Ocean based on satellite observations. In order to develop such a climatology, the already existing Heliosat method has been chosen. Being one of the most accurate available method, the Heliosat method presents the great advantage over others of being easy to use. This method, used world-wide, makes use of geostationary satellite images to determine solar radiation at ground level. The present study proposes some improvements of the standard Heliosat method. Indeed, a few aspects of the approach should be improved in view of routine operation