Correlations of Solar Insolation and Wind Data for SOLMET Stations

Abstract

Correlations of direct solar insolation and windspeed data based upon a 12.5-year period are presented for 26 SOLMET stations distributed over the contiguous United States. These correlations indicate that for all 26 stations 97.5 percent of the available direct insolation occurs at windspeeds of 15 m/s (33.6 mph) or less for three different solar collector tracking apertures. These results imply that operational wind load design criteria for tracking collector devices may be less stringent than is required for survival criteria in the stow orientation. Additional selected frequency distributions for direct insolation, windspeed, and wind direction data spanning the 1952–1964 time frame are also presented.