SODA: Integration and exploitation of networked solar radiation databases for environment monitoring

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 99.0513

Key words (English)

Solar energy information system;
Environmental Protection; Information Processing; Information Systems;
JRC

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: IST-1999-12245

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.2.1 Systems and services for the citizen

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Coordinator: ARMINES, Sophia Antipolis (F)

Abstract (English)

Information about solar radiation is often restricted to very basic data such as annual radiation on horizontal surfaces for large geographical areas. There is a crucial need for more detailed information, for example concerning solar radiation on surfaces that are not horizontal (e.g. - windows of buildings and vineyards). Project SoDa will address needs of users (e.g. in agriculture, the construction industry and research) for quality information on solar radiation parameters by applying a user-driven methodology. A prototype service will be developed that will integrate and efficiently exploit diverse networked information sources to supply value-added information to a selected number of fields. The multi-disciplinary consortium gathers companies and researchers with the necessary expertise in solar radiation as well as from information and communications technologies. Customers and potential users are also represented via the involvement of commercial private vendors of solar radiation databases in addition to representatives of large international and local environmental research and development programmes.

Objectives:
To answer the needs for high quality customer-tailored information on solar radiation;
to integrate diverse sources of information presently available separately within a smart integrating network;
to develop and operate a prototype service, which efficiently exploits the smart network, and which will be used and gauged by selected users;
to increase the quality of the delivered information through improved modelling of time and space structures of the solar radiation, and improved matching to actual customer needs, to disseminate the achievements of the project, and to assess the sustainability of a permanent commercial service.

Work description:
Dissemination and Use Plans;
Prototype service version 1, then 2, made available and tested by customers;
1st and 2nd critical reviews of the project;
Final versions of schemes for improved customer-tailored information;
Final version of the prototype service. Conclusions and recommendations from users;
Expression of benefits and value of the service;
End of project. Final version of the technology implementation plan.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 99.0513