Methods and systems for predicting cloud movement

US9007460B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• General Electric Company · US

Inventors

• Michael Schmidt · Boston, US
• Christian Maria Anton Heller · Albany, US
• Oliver Mayer · Munich, DE
• Marcus Zettl · Bayern, DE
• Omar Ivan Stern Gonzalez · Bad Abbach, DE
• Yaru Najem Mendez Hernandez · Bad Abbach, DE
• Mark Ronald Lynass · Munich, DE
• Eva Bernal Serra · Bad Abbach, DE
• Marianne Luise Susanne Hartung · Bad Abbach, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 30, 2012
• Grant date: Apr 14, 2015
• Expiry date: Mar 28, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E10/50
• WIPO field: Audio-visual technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A prediction system for predicting solar irradiance based on cloud characteristics includes a sky imager that includes a customized lens configured to capture one or more substantially planar images of the sky. The prediction system further includes an image processor coupled to the sky imager and configured to process the one or more substantially planar images. Moreover, the prediction system includes a computing system coupled to the image processor and configured to detect cloud characteristics based on the one or more substantially planar images, and predict the solar irradiance based on the cloud characteristics.