Analysis of Albedo Irradiance Utilizing Multiband (Spectrally Resolved) Satellite Imagery

Advances in satellite image acquisition systems and data availability present exciting opportunities for solar irradiance analysis, especially regarding albedo irradiance which becomes a significant energy harvest contributor when considering bifacial PV modules. This paper demonstrates a methodology for wide area albedo irradiance assessment using multiband (spectrally resolved) satellite imagery. A sample 10-band multispectral image of a 0.75 km2 region with a pixel resolution of 0.25 m2 is used to demonstrate the localized, contextual nature of spectral reflections. Combining spectral reflection data with silicon spectral response curves shows variations in the sample region of 30% in reflected conversion efficiencies. Variations in average photon energy of approximately 0.05 eV are found across the sample region for spectra with 30% additional reflected contributions.