Solar Resource Measurements in Cocoa, Florida (FSEC) - Equipment Loaned to NREL: Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number CRD-08-318

Site-specific measurements of global and diffuse solar irradiance components, passively separated by alternate shading and unshading of a pyranometer mounted under a shading band with alternating opaque and open panels (for a site other than NREL) are needed to verify the underlying theory and mathematical techniques for developing direct, global and diffuse renewable resource data from such a system. These data are used for several research and development activities consistent with the NREL mission: Establish a national 30-year climatological database of measured solar irradiances; Support development of radiative transfer models for estimating solar irradiance from available meteorological observations; Provide solar resource information needed for technology deployment and operations. NREL will provide the supporting equipment (Shadow Bank Stand) for the specially designed shading band. FSEC will provide the calibrated pyranometer and perform data acquisition of the radiometer signal. Data acquired under this agreement will be shared with the NREL Principle Investigator for the purposes of validating techniques for estimating direct radiation from global and diffuse components measured with the ZEBRA system