ISRO Launches Solar Potential Calculator

• Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has got Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to develop a solar design calculator
• The app can provide information about solar potential of any given location in India with maximum and minimum temperatures
• Geostationary satellite data from Kalpana-1, INSAT-3D and INSAT-3DR helps the app arrive at relevant information
• App can be downloaded from the website of VEDAS under New and Renewable Energy section

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has developed an android app for calculating the solar potential in India. Developed at the request of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), the app provides monthly and yearly solar potential in kWh/m² for any location keyed in or obtained through GPS.

The space Applications Centre (SAC) of ISRO in Ahmedabad has developed the app as a tool for the installation of PV solar panels to tap solar energy. It needs internet connection to calculate the results.

The app uses Indian Geostationary Satellite Data (Kalpana-1, INSAT-3D and INSAT-3DR to provide relevant information. Location is displayed on image with satellite data in the background.

With the help of this app, one can also ascertain azimuth and elevation angles, and day length over different periods in a year, among other features. It gives information about maximum and minimum temperature at any given location. Complete report can be saved a PDF file too.

The ISRO app can be downloaded from the website of the Visualisation of Earth Observation Data and Archival System (VEDAS) under New and Renewable Energy section.

In August 2016, Bengaluru was reported to be conducting a GIS mapping exercise to figure out the city's solar rooftop potential (see Aerial Mapping Of Bengaluru's Solar Potential).