Solar constant values for estimating solar radiation

There are many solar constant values given and adopted by researchers, leading to confusion in estimating solar radiation. In this study, some solar constant values collected from literature for estimating solar radiation with the Ångström–Prescott correlation are tested in China using the measured data between 1971 and 2000. According to the ranking method based on the t-statistic, a strategy to select the best solar constant value for estimating the monthly average daily global solar radiation with the Ångström–Prescott correlation is proposed.

Research highlights
► The effect of the solar constant on estimating solar radiation is investigated.
► The investigation covers a diverse range of climate and geography in China.
► A strategy to select the best solar constant for estimating radiation is proposed.