Abstract

Mercatorian and spatial studies of solar power potential (SPP) provide technical guides for the preliminary
design and installation of efficient photovoltaic plant. Modeling and simulation of the SPP were preceded
by acquisition and processing of essential satellite and on-station data; clearness index, relative sunshine
hours, latitude and longitude. The mercatorian SPP model was developed as a geometric function of latitude
and longitude, whereas the spatial SPP model was developed with the application of the Haversine formula
as a function of 𝑥 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦 coordinates. The distributed and concentrated SPP contours were characterized by
multiple isodose lines and a single maximum isodose line, respectively. The present geometric SPP model
validated well with the measured SPP with insignificant error results (1.26173𝐸 ‒ 06 ‒ 2.93324𝐸 - 05)
for the study areas. The study shows the range of the concentrated SPP as; 743.7 ‒ 757.5, 624.7 ‒
635.2, 543.8 ‒ 557.5, 403.5 ‒ 405.9 𝑊/𝑚2 and the corresponding concentrated area is found as
29084.648, 15368.638, 1179.585 𝑎𝑛𝑑 635.7 𝑘𝑚2, for the Northern Region (NR), Eastern Region(ER),
Central Region (CR) and Western Region (WR), respectively. Also, the districts within the concentrated
areas of the 𝑁𝑅, 𝐸𝑅, 𝐶𝑅 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑊𝑅 in Uganda are listed in the table of results. The areas established are useful
for preliminary design of solar facilities. Also, it is obvious that NR is a home for installation of efficient
solar facilities based on the above results. Thus, the present work recommends for transmission of solar
power to the study area not favored with high SPP and extension of the state-of-the-art to other locations
yet to be studied.