Solar radiation resource data are the foundation of information for programs of large-scale deployment of solar energy technologies. While the solar resource in Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Peninsula was believed to be significant based on limited past data, understanding the spatial and temporal variability requires significantly more data and analysis in order to optimize planning and siting solar energy power plants. This paper summarizes the analysis of the first year of broadband solar resource measurements from a new monitoring network in Saudi Arabia developed by the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (K.A.CARE). The analysis used twelve months (October 2013–September 2014) of data from 30 stations distributed across the country based on one-minute measurements of Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI), Diffuse Horizontal Irradiance (DHI), Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI), and related meteorological parameters. Network design, implementation, and data quality assurance are described to document the network extent and quality. For the 30 stations, the annual average daily GHI ranged from about 5700Wh/m2 to 6700Wh/m2 with consistently higher values inland and lower values along the coasts. This indicates that photovoltaic technologies would perform well at any location although extreme high temperatures (over 30°C annual average in some locations) may degrade the performance of some types of photovoltaic technologies. Annual average daily DNI was much more variable across the stations, ranging from about 4400Wh/m2 to over 7300Wh/m2 with the highest values and clearest skies in the northwest part of the country. While most regions have sufficient solar resources for concentrating solar technologies, the western inland sites with average daily totals of over 6474Wh/m2 (average yearly totals of 2400kWh/m2/year) are superior to the eastern sites with average daily totals closer to 5510Wh/m2 (average yearly totals of 2000kWh/m2/year). This first year of data represents the beginning of a deeper understanding of solar resource characteristics in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. Although continued measurements are needed to understand the interannual resource variability, the current study should have significant applications for preliminary technology selection, power plant modeling, and resource forecasting

Achieving the targets set out in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) will require committed efforts by nations and organizations over the coming decade. To determine which actions work most harmoniously within funding, infrastructure development, and implementation of three closely aligned goals, we conducted an assessment to identify where the greatest synergies may occur and where conflicting resource needs create trade-offs that may threaten SDG success. The SDGs each have several targets that need to be realized for the goal to be reached. In the present study, we developed a methodology where each target of the SDG 2 (food), 6 (water), and 7 (energy) was analyzed for its input requirements, infrastructure needs, and the risks and benefits for the provision of ecosystem services. Then the targets were compared pairwise and a total score of interaction was calculated to determine different levels of synergies and trade-offs for every pair. In some cases targets were mutually supportive, in other cases there were no interactions among the targets, and for some areas the targets were in conflict with each other. For example, targets 2.5 (maintain genetic diversity), 6.5 (implement integrated water resources management) and 7.a (enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy) have no conflicts with other targets and have different levels of synergies with most of the other targets. On the contrary, various targets of SDG 2, and especially the target 2.b (correct and prevent trade restrictions), are in slight conflict with other targets by potentially overusing resources needed by other targets or threatening ecosystem services. Our approach confirms the general belief that SDG 6 (water) has the highest number of potential synergies (a total of 124). Thus, achieving the water targets will make it continuously easier to achieve other targets. While the results may need to be adapted for a specific locality or country, overall they provide an improved understanding of the interactions between the targets. The value of the study lies in the quantitative methodology as it can be used as a replicable analysis for any level of work on SDG implementation.

In the last 5 yr, the capabilities of earth-observing satellites and the technological tools to share and use satellite data have advanced sufficiently to consider using satellite imagery in conjunction with ground-based data for urban-scale air quality monitoring. Satellite data can add synoptic and geospatial information to ground-based air quality data and modeling. An assessment of the integrated use of ground-based and satellite data for air quality monitoring, including several short case studies, was conducted. Findings identified current U.S. satellites with potential for air quality applications, with others available internationally and several more to be launched within the next 5 yr; several of these sensors are described in this paper as illustrations. However, use of these data for air quality applications has been hindered by historical lack of collaboration between air quality and satellite scientists, difficulty accessing and understanding new data, limited resources and agency priorities to develop new techniques, ill-defined needs, and poor understanding of the potential and limitations of the data. Specialization in organizations and funding sources has limited the resources for cross-disciplinary projects. To successfully use these new data sets requires increased collaboration between organizations, streamlined access to data, and resources for project implementation.

Aerosol optical depth (AOD) acquired from satellite measurements demonstrates good correlation with particulate matter with diameters less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5) in some regions of the United...