Methods and systems for predicting cloud movement

摘要

A prediction system for predicting solar irradiance based on cloud characteristics includes a sky imager that includes a customized lens configured to capture one or more substantially planar images of the sky. The prediction system further includes an image processor coupled to the sky imager and configured to process the one or more substantially planar images. Moreover, the prediction system includes a computing system coupled to the image processor and configured to detect cloud characteristics based on the one or more substantially planar images, and predict the solar irradiance based on the cloud characteristics.

主权项

1. A prediction system for predicting solar irradiance based on cloud characteristics, the system comprising:
a sky imager comprising a customized lens configured to capture one or more substantially planar images of the sky, wherein the customized lens has a projection map given by the equation:R⁡(θ)=2×f×sin⁡(θ2)cos⁡(θ2)γor approximations thereof, wherein R is a position of an image point on an image sensor, f is the focal length of the customized lens, θ is an angle of observation, and γ is a constant, having a value between 0 and 1;
an image processor coupled to the sky imager and configured to process the one or more substantially planar images; a computing system coupled to the image processor and configured to:
detect cloud characteristics based on the one or more substantially planar images; andpredict the solar irradiance based on the cloud characteristics.