Toward Improved Solar Irradiance Forecasts: Comparison of the Global Horizontal Irradiances Derived from the COMS Satellite Imagery Over the Korean Peninsula

This study introduces the University of Arizona Solar Irradiance Based on Satellite/Korea Institute of Energy Research, which is usually called UASIBS/KIER model. Then the evaluation of modeling performance is done against the ground observations for the instantaneous, hourly, and daily time scales over the Korean Peninsula in this study. The relative root mean square error for the instantaneous time scale is 7.4 and 16.7% for the clear and cloudy skies, respectively. The hourly mean estimates are compared with the in situ measurements from 35 ground observation stations, resulting in a relative root mean square error ranging from 9.1 to 15.5%. The daily aggregates are proven as the most reliable estimates. The UASIBS/KIER estimates are also compared with the routine solar insolation product from the Korea Meteorological Administration. Finally, the solar energy resource map has been built by the daily solar irradiance derived from the UASIBS/KIER model, followed by its comparison with the other gridded datasets.