Informative Links to Solar and other Alternative
Energy
The following are informative links relating primarily to the solar
industry and solar trackers in particular. Some additional links of
general alternative energy interest have also been included as well.
Comparison of Tracked vs. Fixed Mounts
Independent study by John C. Sagebiel
To
Track or Not To Track
Homepower magazine article
Get Your Power from the Sun...A consumer's Guide
By U.S. Department of Energy
Solar-is-future.com
Great information about solar systems and component technology.
Produced by SMA, supplier of industry-leading inverters for
Solar-Azimuth GTP line.
National Renewable
Energy Laboratory
NREL is the nation's primary laboratory for renewable energy and
energy efficiency research and development (R&D).
Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program
Collects a wealth of climate-related data for sites throughout the
world.
Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN)
Measures solar and atmospheric radiation at stations in contrasting
climatic zones, covering a latitude range from 80°N to 90°S, to
detect climate change.
EnergyPlus Weather Data
Offers weather data, arranged by World Meteorological Organization
region and country, for more than 1,300 locations throughout the
world.
NASA
Langley Distributed Active Archive (DAAC) Surface Meteorology and
Solar Energy Data Set
Provides data for more than 200 satellite-derived meteorology and
solar energy parameters.
National Climatic Data Center
Offers the world's largest active archive of weather data.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Earth
System Research Laboratory
Develops a number of datasets, experimental forecasts, and climate
observations.
NOAA Regional Climate Centers
Provides detailed climate data for regions throughout the United States.
NOAA Surface Radiation Research Branch
Monitors surface radiation in the continental United States.
Texas Solar Radiation Database
Provides solar radiation data for sites throughout Texas.
University of Oregon Solar Radiation Monitoring Laboratory
Operates solar radiation monitoring stations throughout the
Pacific Northwest.
The World Meteorological Organization
The United Nations' agency for the study of the Earth's atmosphere,
oceans, and climate.
World Radiation Data Centre
Serves as a central depository for solar radiation data collected at
more than 1,000 sites throughout the world.
National Renewable Energy Laboratory Spectral Solar Radiation
Database
Provides spectral solar radiation data for several U.S. sites for 1986–1988.
National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB)
Provides hourly solar radiation and meteorological data for sites
throughout the
United States
for
1961–1990 and
1991–2005.
Solar Energy Measurement Research and Training Sites (SEMRTS)
Data Set
Provides solar resource data for five sites across the United States
for dates ranging from 1979 to 1984.
Solar Spectra
Provides integrated standard spectral irradiance data for the United States
from a variety of sources.
Typical Meteorological Year
Data Sets
Provide hourly values of solar radiation and meteorological elements
for U.S. sites and
territories for a 1-year period during
1961–1990 or
1991–2005.
WEST Associates Solar Monitoring Network
Provides solar resource data for 52 stations in six
Western U.S. states for 1976–1980.
Ecobusinesslinks
Green Directory. Listing of other solar products and
eco-friendly companies.