A rotating shadowband for shading a pyranometer includes a cylindrical ring and a semicircular shadowband held within the cylindrical ring, a motor configured for rotating the shadowband, at least one solar panel, a rechargeable battery, and a controller having circuitry configured to power the first motor to rotate the semicircular shadowband. The semicircular shadowband may include a window opening, wherein the window opening substantially extends from a center of the band to a first end. The controller rotates the shadowband 0 to 360 degrees about the central axis of the cylindrical ring to alternately shade the pyranometer for making diffuse radiation measurements and expose the pyranometer to direct solar radiation for making global radiation measurements. Alternatively, the shadowband may be solid and rotate pivotally 0 to 180 degrees or 0 to 360 degrees within the cylindrical ring to alternately shade and expose a pyranometer head to and from direct sunlight respectively.

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.

Provided herein is technology relating to measuring weather data and particularly, but not exclusively, to apparatuses, methods, and systems for sensing hydrometeors (e.g., rain) and measuring hydrometeor characteristics (e.g., volume, rate, size distribution, etc.).

A software application is provided to easily determine an indication of an amount of light available at a location at a given point in time. The software application may be used indoors or outdoors and is configured to be easy to use and highly accurate.

A solar monitoring system for measuring solar radiation intensity comprising a tracking unit having two-axis movement comprising, head mounted with first and second irradiation measuring units, and a controller. The first irradiation measuring unit comprises a direct normal irradiance (DNI) sensor and the second irradiation measuring unit includes a diffuse horizontal irradiance (DHI) sensor and a global horizontal irradiance (GHI) sensor. The controller receives inputs from the sensors or a software program configured to control orientation of the image capturing head so that the DNI sensor is always exposed to the sun, and the shading disc is always directly between the DHI sensor and the sun.

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.

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.

One embodiment provides a pyranometer, including: a pyranometer housing; and at least one radiation sensor; wherein the at least one radiation sensor is electrically isolated from the pyranometer housing and thermally coupled to the pyranometer housing by at least one supporting element, wherein the supporting element is connected to the pyranometer housing and is configured to support the at least one radiation sensor. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Disclosed is a pyranometer with a housing, a sensor in the housing, an inner window and an outer dome-shaped window both overlying the sensor. An air inlet duct and an air outlet duct extend in the housing and end in a space confined by the outer window for passing air through the space, from the inlet duct to the outlet duct. The housing is substantially closed such that no outside air flows are allowed into the housing and includes a ventilator, the inlet duct being in fluid communication with a high pressure side of the ventilator, the outlet duct being in fluid communication with a low pressure side of the ventilator. The air blown into the space below the outer window is heated by the ventilator power and optionally by and added electrical heater.

A daylighting system includes: a functional film which transmits light from an outdoor area of a building to introduce the light to an indoor area of the building; a weather detection unit configured to detect weather in a location at which the functional film is installed; and a control unit configured to control a transmittance of the functional film, based on a result of detection by the weather detection unit. The weather detection unit is configured to detect the weather, based on a result of comparing an illuminance of the light from the outdoor area with a reference value for the illuminance, and a result of comparing a color temperature of the light from the outdoor area with a reference value for the color temperature.