The Study of Direct Solar Radiation Data in the Project of Mapping the Solar Resource and Potential in Vietnam

Bao The Nguyen^{1, 2}, and Viet Van Hoang^{1, 2, 3}

1. Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

2. Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

3. Ly Tu Trong College, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Abstract: In order to strengthen the capacities of the Vietnamese Government to take decisions concerning the solar energy sector, a project promoted by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and cooperated with the General Directorate of Energy of Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam (MoIT) has been done. The Phase I of this project has been focused on mapping the solar resource and potential in Vietnam.  However, the research presented in the paper found that the average daily direct solar radiation data have been overestimated.  This might cause the misleading in the decisions of the Government in solar projects, especially in concentrating solar applications. Some suggestions are also discussed in the paper.

Key words: mapping, solar radiation estimation, sunshine hours, global horizontal irradiation, direct normal irradiation, diffuse solar radiation, clearness index