A planned network of sky cameras would help the solar industry more precisely forecast solar radiation, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said.
The bureau on Dec. 11 said that it would install 10 all-sky cameras to enable accurate weather predictions, which are critical to the efficient production of solar energy and grid management.
Four of the 10 cameras have already been installed for testing at weather stations in Tainan, and Changhua and Pingtung counties, it said.
Photo courtesy of the Central Weather Bureau
Difficulties in predicting cloud cover are partly to blame for inhibiting the growth of Taiwan’s solar sector, which is dependent on weather conditions, said Hung Chin-shan (洪景山), director of the bureau’s meteorological information center.
Light rain or a small cloud can reduce the output of a solar power plant by up to 50 percent, he said.
Clouds are of particular concern because they are made of fine ice and water particles, making them harder to detect by space-based radar systems, he said, adding that cloud formations also change too quickly for satellites to track them.
The bureau’s forecasts of solar radiation over Taiwan are about 80 percent accurate, with errors due to unpredictable factors such as cloud cover, air pollution and dust storms, said Teng jen-hsing (鄧仁星), a researcher at the bureau’s Research and Development Division.
The system uses high-powered, fish-eye cameras that can reveal cloud conditions by detecting visible-spectrum light in the sky within 15km, which the bureau can monitor in real time, he said.
The data would enable the bureau to create accurate estimates and predictions of solar radiation levels to aid solar power plants, he said.
The information helps grid operators anticipate the rise and fall of the solar energy supply to timely switch to conventional power sources to meet demand, he said.
The cameras cost NT$200,000 to NT$300,000 per system, and the bureau plans to procure all-sky infrared imagers to enable nighttime observations should funding become available, he said.
The bureau’s current system is about 90 percent accurate in predicting the volume of solar energy production, and the cameras are expected to improve that figure by 3 to 5 percentage points, he said.
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
ECONOMIC BENEFITS: The imports from Belize would replace those from Honduras, whose shrimp exports have dropped 67 percent since cutting ties in 2023 Maintaining ties with Taiwan has economic benefits, Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials said yesterday, citing the approval of frozen whiteleg shrimp imports from Belize by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an example. The FDA on Wednesday approved the tariff-free imports from Belize after the whiteleg shrimp passed the Systematic Inspection of Imported Food, which would continue to boost mutual trade, the ministry said. Taiwan’s annual consumption of whiteleg shrimps stands at 30,000 tonnes, far exceeding domestic production, the ministry said. Taiwan used to fill the gap by importing shrimps from Honduras, but purchases slumped after Tegucigalpa severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan