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Energy & Renewables vocabulary · Solar Energy

Irradiance

Meaning in energy & renewables, with examples

/ɪˈreɪdiəns/nounCommon term

In energy & renewables, irradiance means: The power of sunlight falling on a surface at a given moment, measured in watts per square metre (W/m²). It sets how much a solar panel can produce at that time.

In Turkish: ışınım şiddeti, güneş ışınımı

How it is used

Used in solar design, monitoring and performance reports. Irradiance is measured on site with a pyranometer. Global horizontal irradiance (GHI) and plane-of-array irradiance (POA) are common terms. Clear midday sun gives roughly 1,000 W/m².

Example sentences

  1. Output dropped at 2 p.m. because clouds cut the irradiance to 300 W/m².

  2. We compare the plant's output with the measured irradiance to calculate the performance ratio.

Common collocations

  • solar irradiance
  • global horizontal irradiance
  • measure irradiance
  • plane-of-array irradiance
  • energy yieldThe amount of electricity a solar or wind plant produces, or is expected to produce, over a period, usually a year. It is the basis of revenue forecasts.
  • photovoltaicDescribing technology that converts sunlight directly into electricity using semiconductor materials, as in solar cells and solar panels. It is usually shortened to PV.
  • solar cellA thin semiconductor device, usually made of silicon, that produces electricity when light falls on it. Many cells connected together make up a solar panel.
  • capacity factorThe ratio of the electricity a plant actually produces over a period to what it would produce running at full capacity the whole time, shown as a percentage.

More terms: Solar Energy

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