New Algorithms to Monitor and Estimate Electricity Provision and Consumption from Nighttime Satellite Images

Remote sensing is an important science that plays a vital role in monitoring Earth day and night all year long. It can monitor natural and manmade features such as human settlements and forests. Nowadays, one of the main concerns of civilization is the sustainability of the generated electric power in serving different cities and villages. Electric power is needed to provide energy for daily economic activities and lighting at night. In the past four years, Lebanon faced severe shortages in the provision of electrical power due to several reasons the major one is the shortage of funds to purchase fuel for the thermal power stations, and the ineffectiveness of these power stations. Lebanon’s economic downfall and the unmaintained stations played an important role in this shortage. In this paper, a recent efficient remote sensing satellite that captures images at night was used to analyze the status of the electric power provision in Lebanon. New algorithms were created to modify, improve nighttime satellite images, and to extract important information such as consumed electricity. Statistical analyses proved that remote sensing is an efficient and reliable tool to support decision-makers in planning and monitoring electric power provision and consumption in a large area periodically and continuously.