Wrong Sunlight Data Could Hurt Solar Project Returns
What Happened
As India rapidly expands its solar capacity, industry experts are raising concerns over differences between satellite-derived solar irradiance estimates and actual ground-level measurements. Since irradiance data is used to forecast electricity generation, even small inaccuracies can affect energy yield estimates, project valuations and financing assumptions. Reports highlights that India’s average solar irradiance ranges between 3.5 and 5.5 kWh/m²/day, making accurate site-specific measurements critical for developers and lenders.
Key Takeaways
The issue is increasingly important because generation forecasts determine power purchase agreement (PPA) pricing, project bankability, debt servicing and investor returns. Experts are urging developers to supplement satellite data with ground-based irradiance measurements and weather monitoring before committing capital. As India targets large-scale renewable energy growth, better data quality could help avoid project underperformance and improve investor confidence in the sector.