The Irradiance Is 40% Higher! The Southern Part Of India Had Unusually High Irradiance in August This Year

In a recent weekly update report, Solcast, a company under DNV, has reported exceptional solar irradiance in southern India during August of this year. The solar irradiance in August exceeded the average levels for previous Augusts by a remarkable 40%, reaching 6 kWh per square meter daily. This significant increase in solar irradiance has been attributed to the development of El Niño in 2023 and weaker monsoon patterns, which led to increased solar power generation across most of Asia, despite the presence of seven typhoons during the month.

The El Niño phenomenon impacted India and Southeast Asia positively in terms of solar irradiance during August. In India, El Niño weakened the summer monsoon, resulting in less cloud cover, while in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, it suppressed cloud formation.

Southern India, in particular, experienced an outstanding increase in solar irradiance during August, surpassing the average levels for previous Augusts by 40%. This brought the daily solar irradiance to 6 kWh per square meter. Typically, the monsoon season in India is associated with more cloud cover, leading to lower irradiance levels. However, this year's monsoon has been notably weak with minimal rainfall and wind, attributed to the ongoing development of El Niño.

Despite the increased solar irradiance, the benefits for solar power generation were offset by losses in wind and hydroelectric power due to the same phenomenon. The overall shortage in renewable energy generation led to an increase in coal-based power generation in India during August. Additionally, the hot and dry weather conditions necessitated more power for irrigation, further increasing electricity demand. According to data from the Indian grid, the power demand reached a record high of 243.9 GW on August 31, exceeding available capacity by 7.3 GW.

This underscores the importance of accurate renewable energy analysis and forecasting information, enabling grid management during weather-sensitive intermittent power generation.

El Niño is typically associated with below-average rainfall in Southeast Asia. Correspondingly, Solcast's analysis indicates that photovoltaic power generation in Thailand, Cambodia, southern Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia exceeded normal levels, with sunlight irradiance levels 130% higher than the August average.

Cloud cover associated with typhoons not only has more direct impacts on power generation and distribution infrastructure but also significantly reduces the potential for photovoltaic power generation. El Niño is usually linked to the eastward shift of Western Pacific typhoon activity from Asia. Nevertheless, several significant typhoon events occurred in August. Out of seven typhoons that occurred in August, four made landfall. Typhoons "Hanon" and "Lanin" brought extensive cloud cover to western Japan from August 5 to 10 and August 14 to 16, leading to a 10% decrease in overall irradiance for Japan in August. In contrast, northern Honshu, Japan's main island, remained unaffected by typhoons, experiencing a 30% increase in irradiance compared to the same period in previous years.

Typhoon weather caused casualties, widespread flooding, and damage in Japan. During Typhoon "Hanon," 160,000 households in Japan experienced power outages, while Typhoon "Lanin" destroyed transmission lines, affecting the power supply for 100,000 households.

The prolonged track of Typhoon "Hanon" from south to north across the Korean Peninsula was an unprecedented occurrence, not observed since 1951. It brought flooding and landslides, resulting in power outages for 40,350 households in South Korea.

Accurate solar irradiance data and forecasts are essential for efficiently managing energy resources, especially during dynamic weather conditions. Solcast continues to provide valuable insights into these patterns and trends to support the renewable energy sector.

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