UNEP launches solar and wind mapping project

A project to map the solar and wind resources in 13 developing nations was launched at the end of December by the Nairobi-based United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The Solar and Wind Energy Resource Assessment (SWERA) has received $9 million for the three-year pilot project, with $6.5 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Tom Hamlin, UNEP climate change task manager, expects the information to increase awareness and confidence for countries considering solar projects and seeking investments for rural electrification and energy supply. The accurate solar data will lead to better-designed PV systems, he says. “Solar radiation can vary significantly, more than 15 percent, over distances as small as 10 km.« Major installations of PV, such as hybrid PV/hydro plants, will benefit from optimal siting, Hamlin adds.

A series of maps will be released starting in 2003. Regional maps will cover Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and South and East Asia. National surveys for high-resolution maps will be carried out in Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, China, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Cuba, Brazil, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. The solar maps will be derived from satellite images. Hamlin says a web site, which will be found at www.unep.net, is under development. The data will also be available on CD-ROM. wph
 

William P. Hirshman
© PHOTON International, February 2002