Glossary#

Solar radiation terms#

Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI)#

The direct or beam irradiance is the irradiance that directly from the sun, i.e., unscattered. DNI is measured with a pyrheliometer, which typically has a 5 degree opening and is mounted on a solar tracker to always point at the sun.

Global horizontal irradiance (GHI)#

The global horizontal irradiance is the total hemispherical irradiance received on a horizontal plane. GHI is measured with a pyranometer with a 180 degree view to the sky.