Welcome to "Solar Radiation and Solar geometry" at Dalarna University

Welcome to the course Solar radiation and geometry, which start with lectures Monday, September 1, 2025 between 15:00 - 17:00 (3-5 PM)! (this has been changed and the first lecture are on Tuesday, September 2, 1012. See Time edit for correct scedule!)

The lectures will be given on campus Borlänge, but also online. The zoomlink for following the lectures is https://du-se.zoom.us/j/63646313846.  and you can find this link in the module “course information”.

This is a very basic course, necessary for all following courses in the field of both solar energy and energy efficient buildings. Therefore, the course will be held both for the master programs in Solar Energy Engineering and Energy Efficient Built Environment, as well for Erasmus students that are at Dalarna University this autumn semester.

The course will start with aspects on solar radiation like solar geometry and basic formulas for calculating the sun position and solar motion, the physics of solar radiation (the electromagnetic spectra and wavelength's), how to measure solar radiation, solar radiation data (how to find it, how to derive it and how to use it) and different ways to use data for calculating the irradiation on different surfaces.

The first lecture will be an overview of the world energy situation and will also contain an overview of different energy sources, renewable and non-renewable, available for use in the society.

In the second hour of the first lecture I will also give you an overview of solar energy technology, as a preparation for the coming courses for the solar energy master students at Högskolan Dalarna. Although this part is mainly for the solar energy students, everyone is welcome to attend!

This first part on solar radiation will be condensed to the first three weeks, followed by a few lectures in October and a written exam, now planned to November 3. The exam in written on campus, (or at a partner university, or learn center (“lärcentra”). There will be another opportunity to write an exam online in December 8 and a third occasion with an online exam in April 21, 2026. All information about this will be published on this course page. The lectures will be recorded and it will also be possible to follow the lectures in real time. For those that are in Borlänge, the advice is definitely that you follow the course on site, since this enable you to ask questions and discuss with your classmates.

After the first three introduction weeks, there will be less lectures since the solar energy students have a condensed course with guest teachers.

In the course you will also do one laboratory work about measurement of solar radiation and you will also do a small project work on the energy situation in the country from where you present this for the other students in the course. For those that are not in Borlänge yet, the laboratory work will be done together with students on campus that will do measurements that you process together.

Beside me (Mats Rönnelid) as lecturer on solar radiation you will also have Alaa Khadra in lectures on daylight and Puneet Saini in lectures on shading. For the laborative work, you will also meet Santiago Valencia who help you with the laboratory exercises and home exercises.

The lectures on solar radiation is based on the first chapters in the “Solar Engineering of Thermal Processes” by Duffie & Beckman. The solar energy students will also use this book in courses about solar thermal technology, and the book can be borrowed from the library as an e-book. However, I will put all my lecture notes, formulas etc on the course home page.

I hope you will enjoy the course and see you in the beginning of September!

Mats Rönnelid, lecturer and course responsible

	Course Syllabus			Contact information
	Reading List			Your Name Course Coordinator xxx@du.se
				Teacher 1 Role in the Course xxx@du.se
				Teacher 2 Role in the Course xxx@du.se