In an example, an expected sky condition is calculated for a geographic location, a time of day, and a date based on a mathematical model. A predicted distribution of direct and interreflected solar radiation within the environment is calculated based on the expected sky condition. Measurement data from one or more photosensors is obtained that provides measurements of an initial distribution of direct and interreflected radiation within the environment, including radiation from solar and electrical lighting sources. A target distribution of direct and interreflected artificial electromagnetic radiation produced by electrical lighting is determined, based on the measurement data and the predicted distribution of direct and interreflected solar radiation, to achieve the target distribution of direct and interreflected radiation within the environment. Output parameters are set to one or more devices to modify the initial distribution to achieve the target distribution of direct and interreflected radiation within the environment.

Disclosed herein is a technique of configuring flexible photovoltaic tracker systems with high damping and low angle stow positions. Under dynamic environmental loads implementing a high amount of damping (e.g., greater than 25% of critical damping, greater than 50% of critical damping) or a very high amount of damping (e.g., 100% or greater of critical damping, infinite damping) enables the flexible tracker system to prevent problematic aeroelastic behaviors while positioned in a low stow angle. The disclosed technique is further applied to a prototyping process during wind tunnel testing.

A method and apparatus for estimating capacity of a system including an energy generation system, an energy storage system or both. The method and apparatus initially estimate the system capacity based on a facility location and size. The initial estimate may be adjusted through adjustment of at least one parameter. An updated capacity estimate is generated and displayed.

A device comprises a platform constructed and arranged to be mounted to one or more solar array modules and one or more solar irradiance sensors on the platform configured to receive incident solar energy, the one or more solar irradiance sensors oriented on the platform so that the received incident solar energy is comparable to that received by the solar array modules, the one or more solar irradiance sensors providing solar irradiance signals in response to the incident solar energy. A processor is on the platform, the processor configured to receive the solar irradiance signals and, in response, generating a performance reference metric based on the solar irradiance signals, the performance reference metric related to the expected performance of the one or more solar array modules to which the platform is mounted. A transmitter is on the platform, the transmitter configured to periodically transmit the performance reference metric to a receiver.

An electricity generation method using orientable photovoltaic sensors disposed above crops, a shadow projected onto the crops being altered by changes in an orientation of the sensors. The orientation of the sensors is controlled in a computerized and automatic manner in order to affect microclimatic conditions of the crops by changing the orientation of the sensors, in particular in order to place crops in microclimatic conditions more suited to obtaining a desired agricultural result, while seeking to achieve an optimum, reducing electricity generation as little as possible in relation to a reference that is not combined with crops.

Solar irradiance, the energy from the Sun's electromagnetic radiation, has a wide range of applications from meteorology to agronomy to solar power. Solar irradiance is primarily determined by a location's spatial relationship with the Sun and the atmospheric conditions that impact the transmission of the radiation. The spatial relationship between the Sun and a location on Earth is determined by established astronomical formulas. The impact of atmospheric conditions may be estimated via proxy using pixels from satellite imagery. While satellite-based irradiance estimation has proven effective, availability of the input data can be limited and the resolution is often incapable of capturing local weather phenomena. Brief qualitative descriptions of general atmospheric conditions are widely available from internet weather services at higher granularity than satellite imagery. This methodology provides logic for quantifying the impact of qualitative weather observations upon solar irradiance, and the integration of this methodology into solar irradiance estimation models.

A system for measurement of monochromatic attenuation for each wavelength of the spectrum, understood as such the attenuation at a wavelength of the spectrum with the spectral width provided by the measurement equipment, of the spectral attenuation in the spectral range of measurement, understood as such the set of monochromatic attenuations at all the wavelengths throughout the spectral range of measurement, and the total attenuation, understood as such the attenuation calculated by the integration of the spectral attenuation in the spectral range of measurement weighted with the solar spectrum. A method for measurement, providing measurement of attenuation in the entire spectral range for the best energy system efficiency evaluation and for achieving a differential measurement of meteorological phenomena causing the attenuation, providing relevant information for the meteorological forecast in this specific field, which can be used for evaluating the attenuation phenomenon for solar plants site selection and for operating plants.

A configuration engine traverses sequential levels of a decision tree in order to iteratively refine a configuration for a solar power system. At each level of the decision tree, the configuration engine determines the outcome of a design decision based on computing the result of a value function. The configuration engine explores configurations that optimize the value function result compared to other configurations, and may also discard less optimal configurations. When a current configuration is considered less optimal than a previous configuration generated at a previous level, the configuration engine discards the current configuration and re-traverses the decision tree starting with the previous configuration.

A predictive system and method thereof for indoor horticulture are disclosed. The method includes obtaining a set of input values identifying a geographic position of a physical structure enclosing an interior environment and a target distribution for environmental parameters for a selected plant occupant. The method further includes obtaining a virtual representation of the physical structure, and iteratively over time, updating the virtual representation based on actual plant growth or a predicted plant growth model for the selected plant occupant. The method further includes running a computational model to obtain a predicted distribution of the environmental parameters for the virtual representation, and determining a target distribution of artificially modulated environmental parameters. Based on the target distribution of the artificially modulated environmental parameters, the method includes setting output parameters for control devices to collectively control the actual distribution of the set of environmental parameters.

Systems and methods that provide trackers and tracking assemblies having node managers, such as smart node managers are described herein. Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an autonomous energy distribution network including a plurality of solar tracker devices configured to receive solar energy and transform the solar energy into electrical energy, where each of the solar tracker devices is directly connected to a node in a power distribution grid. The network also includes a node manager configured to receive status information from the solar trackers, where the status information includes information regarding the state of the node to which each of the solar tracker device are directly connected.