ISSN 3141-6632
A computer model for estimating the global solar radiation for the Lafia location (Lat. 9.5°N and long. 8.9°E) was developed using the Angstrom-page linear equation. The model was developed from measured solar radiation and sunshine hours for the months of January to December, 2025. Solar radiation (W/m²), wind speed (m/s), maximum and minimum temperature (°C), hours of sunshine (hr), and relative humidity were collected from the Lafia Cargo Airport meteorological unit, Kwadere - Lafia North Dev Area. The highest solar radiation of 350 W/m² and the corresponding highest sunshine hours of 10.81 hrs occurred in March 2025, while the lowest occurred in August, 2025. The average measured solar radiation was 297.08 W/m². The average relative humidity of 46% was determined from the average ambient temperature of 28.16°C and average minimum temperature of 16.19°C. The average wind speed was 28.33 m/s. The constants ‘a’ and ‘b’ of the Angstrom-Page equation were determined by plotting the clearness index (H/Ho) on the Y-axis and the fractional possible sunshine hours (ns/N) on the X-axis to obtain the line of best fit. The slope of this line is the value of the constant 'b'=0.83, while the intercept of this line on the y-axis is the value of the constant ‘a’=-0.11 with a coefficient of correlation of r=54% and a coefficient of determination of R²=0.292. The developed computer model can therefore be used to determine the global solar radiation at the Lafia location, Nigeria.
Keywords: Computer, Modeling, Regression Constants, Global Solar Radiation, Lafia.