DNICast - Direct Normal Irradiance NowCASTing methods for optimized operation of concentrating solar technologies
About DNICast
Concentrating solar technologies (CST) have proven to be very efficient sources of clean power for the electrical grid. CST include thermodynamic machines, such as the concentrating solar power (CSP: parabolic troughs, solar towers, Fresnel collectors, parabolic dishes…), or concentrating photovoltaics (CPV).
The efficient operation of CST requires reliable forecasts of the incident irradiance for two main reasons:
- First, to yield a better management of the thermodynamic cycle
- Second, the electricity production can be optimally connected to the grid.
Currently, forecasts are made by several techniques, which have their own merits and drawbacks. The uncertainty in the forecast of the Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) is still too large and must be reduced.
The DNICast project, brings a series of innovative components which will advance current state-of-the-art in a number of ways. These innovations can be clustered in terms of methodological progress, geographical extension and a participatory approach through the involvement of stakeholders and potential end-users.
As part of the consortium, CyI will be evaluating numerical models that forecast regional dust transport in N. Africa and Europe and are part of WMO’s SDS-WAS portal. The evaluation aims to pinpoint the pros and cons of each numerical model and summarize their capabilities in a manner assistive to CSP operators. Additionally, CyI is involved in holding a number of events (workshops, conferences, meetings) that aim bringing together CSP professionals and scientific community experts.
Contacts:
Prof Nikos Mihalopoulos, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tel. +357 22208700 +357 22208601
Prof Mihalis Vrekoussis, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tel. +357 22208700 +357 22208698
Additional Info
- Acronym: DNICast
- Center: EEWRC
- Funding Source: European Union/FP7
- CyI Funding: 116725€
- Funding Period: 48 months
- Starting Date: October 2013
- End Date: September 2017
- Coordinator: OBSERVATOIRE MEDITERRANEEN DE L'ENERGIE (OME), France
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Partners: FUNDACION CENER-CIEMAT (CENER), Spain
UNIVERSITY OF PATRAS (UNIPATRAS), Greece
METEOTEST SOCIETE COOPERATIVE (Meteotest), Switzerland
ASSOCIATION POUR LA RECHERCHE ET LE DEVELOPPEMENT DES METHODES ET PROCESSUS INDUSTRIELS (ARMINES), France
RHEINISCHES INSTITUT FUER UMWELT-FORSCHUNG AN DER UNIVERSITAET ZU KOELN E.V. (RIUUK), Germany
SVERIGES METEOROLOGISKA OCH HYDROLOGISKA INSTITUT (SMHI), Sweden
DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FUER LUFT - UND RAUMFAHRT EV (DLR), Germany
LEIBNIZ INSTITUT FUER TROPOSPHAERENFORSCHUNG e.V. (TROPOS), Germany
CENTRO DE INVESTIGACIONES ENERGETICAS, MEDIOAMBIENTALES Y TECNOLOGICAS (CIEMAT), Spain
EIDGENOESSISCHES DEPARTEMENT DES INNERN (METEOSWISS), Switzerland
THE CYPRUS INSTITUTE LIMITED (CyI), Cyprus
