{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,28]],"date-time":"2026-03-28T17:04:21Z","timestamp":1774717461329,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":137,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,1]],"date-time":"2025-07-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1751328000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"CS-OGET, the Faculty of Engineering, Eduardo Mondlane University","award":["Nr.5-09\/2029\/CS-OGET"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Nr.5-09\/2029\/CS-OGET"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Solar"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The characteristics and types of the sky can greatly influence photovoltaic (PV) power generation, potentially leading to a reduction in both the lifespan and efficiency of the entire system. Driven by the challenge of addressing fluctuations in solar PV energy utilization, the aim was to assess the solar energy potential by analyzing the clear sky index Kt* across elevation profiles. To achieve this, a theoretical model for determining Kt* was employed, which encapsulated the solar energy analysis. Initially, solar energy data collected from approximately 16 stations in various provinces of Mozambique, as part of the solar energy measurement initiatives by INAM, FUNAE, AERONET, and Meteonorm, was processed. Subsequently, the clear sky radiation was calculated, and Kt* was established. The statistical findings indicate a reduction in energy contribution from the predictors, accounting for 28% of the total incident energy; however, there are progressive increases averaging around ~0.02, with Kt* values ranging from 0.4 to 0.9, demonstrating a strong correlation between 0.7 and 0.9 across several stations and predictor parameters. No significant climate change effects were noted. The radiation flux is directed from areas with higher Kt* to those with lower values, as illustrated in the heat map. The region experiences an increase in atmospheric parameter deposition, with concentrations around ~0.20, yet there remains a substantial energy flow potential of 92% for PV applications. This interaction can also be applied in other locations to assess the potential for available solar energy, as the analyzed solar energy spectrum aligns closely with the theoretical statistical calibration of energy distribution relevant to the global solar energy population process.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/solar5030030","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,1]],"date-time":"2025-07-01T10:45:08Z","timestamp":1751366708000},"page":"30","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Evaluating Solar Energy Potential Through Clear Sky Index Characterization Across Elevation Profiles in Mozambique"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"5","author":[{"given":"Fernando Ven\u00e2ncio","family":"Mucomole","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"CS-OGET\u2014Center of Excellence of Studies in Oil and Gas Engineering and Technology, Faculty of Engineering, Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique Avenue Km 1.5, Maputo 257, Mozambique"},{"name":"CPE\u2014Centre of Research in Energies, Faculty of Sciences, Eduardo Mondlane University, Main Campus No. 3453, Maputo 257, Mozambique"},{"name":"Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, Eduardo Mondlane University, Main Campus No. 3453, Maputo 257, Mozambique"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7532-3993","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carlos Augusto Santos","family":"Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mechanical Engineering, Instituto Superior T\u00e9cnico, University of Lisbon, 1600-214 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Louren\u00e7o L\u00e1zaro","family":"Magaia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mathematics and Informatics, Faculty of Science, Eduardo Mondlane University, Main Campus No. 3453, Maputo 257, Mozambique"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Duffie, J.A., and Beckman, W.A. 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