Solar radiation data and its components are one of the most important parameters for the system designed for solar energy applications in a certain region. In most cases, it is nearly impossible to find and measure solar radiation data. Thus, in places in which there is no solar radiation data, it is possible to determine solar radiation by carrying out a valid correlation. In this study, solar radiation models on the horizontal surface have been investigated to establish solar photovoltaic (PV) source for hydrogen generation in the near future and by making use of the data gathered from the meteorological measurement device (vantage PRO2) established in the university campus of Osmaniye Korkut Ata. As a result, a new model for the global solar radiation on horizontal surface for Osmaniye has been developed. Instantaneous global solar radiation on horizontal surface has been determined by using simple calculation method and a comparison of measured and calculated values has been made. Therefore, the best approach model in the estimation of global solar radiation has been determined. Moreover, with a view to show performance analysis of models, the statistical testing methods such as mean absolute percentage errors (MAPE), mean absolute bias error (MABE), root mean square error (RMSE) were used. The results reveal that a new model seems highly acceptable for predicting the solar radiation in Osmaniye. Copyright (C) 2015, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.