It sounds like you are doing an interesting course. I don't understand
exactly what you are asking help with though? This is a really small
google group for people that are interested in the technicalities of
forward ray-tracing in python. I am a Photovolatics researcher at
Imperial College and so this is a little side project of mine, that is
the result of my PhD studies. The only advice I can give you is to
check the briefing paper of the Grantham Institute for Climate Change,
try here, http://www.imperial.ac.uk/climatechange/publications .
Hope that helps!
Cheers,
Daniel
Here is a direct link to the briefing document, https://www8.imperial.ac.uk/content/dav/ad/workspaces/climatechange/pdfs/GranthamJune.pdf
This answers both your questions.
Cheers,
Dan