Solcast, a DNV company

To get real insight into forecast accuracy, you need real data—and we’ve got it, ready for you to explore. When it comes to evaluating forecast vendors, most operators face the same challenges: limited data, short trials, and inconsistent measurement quality. These small-scale internal trials often fall short, leaving too much uncertainty on the table. That’s why we’re making our latest forecast validation data available across 135 global sites, with 1-4 years of measurements from every site, to give you a clear, robust view of forecast accuracy. Here’s what we’ve done to make it count: - Made the data interactive and filterable, so you can access and analyze what matters most. - Measured accuracy across multiple irradiance metrics and power scenarios. - Shared results down to the site, region, and climate zone level for targeted insights. - Included comparisons with GFS and smart persistence models to show exactly how much a solar-specific forecast can add. Get a firsthand look at the results. And if you’re interested in understanding how high-resolution solar forecasts can drive efficiency in your operations, let’s chat. Check our latest validation study here: https://lnkd.in/g7JsFCDx Need even more detail? Ask our team to share the site-level data that backs up this analysis (for all but a few confidential sites). Dana Olson Mark Mikofski Thea Nieberding Antony Stace Tom Geiser Tim van Benthem  

How will this winter’s borderline La Niña conditions impact solar generation across North and South America? Current seasonal forecasts suggest drier weather across regions like Texas, California, Mexico, and Brazil, resulting potentially higher solar generation in the months ahead. But even with model consensus indicating favorable conditions, the inherent uncertainties of seasonal forecasts remain. Other solar and weather patterns can still influence local cloud cover and precipitation that could affect irradiance and solar generation. Read the full analysis in pv magazine Global for more insights: https://lnkd.in/gtT2SzUF #solar #lanina #renewableenergy #energytransition

Our APAC and Europe teams are on the ground this week at All Energy Australia, Enlit Europe, and Energyear in Melbourne and Milan. In Milan, Natasha Morgan and Andrea Serafini are discussing the rapid growth of solar generation in Italy, while in Melbourne, Ben King joined our DNV colleagues to present on how Solcast is leveraging generative AI for improved cloud modelling. Conferences like these highlight the shared passion of our industry. Across the globe, we continue to meet innovative partners and collaborators, all working towards building more resilient, renewable-powered grids. #solar #renewableenergy #energytransition #generativeai #machinelearning

The team is out and about this week, and we can’t wait to speak with you! If you're in Melbourne or Milan, reach out to our team to catch up and discuss how we can partner in achieving enhanced asset and grid management to provide better solutions for your customers. Natasha Morgan, our Europe Commercial Director, will be attending conferences from October 22-24 at Enlit Europe and Energyear Italia 2024. Meanwhile, our CCO, Ben King, along with the APAC Commercial team, Alistair Northam and George Peters, are all set for #AllEnergyAU in Melbourne from October 23-24. Don't forget to reach out to our team if you’ll be at the conferences. See you there! #solar #renewablenergy #energytransition

How are you accelerating the #energytransition by 2050? It’s going to take a lot of change and growth to meet renewable energy targets, but it’s a challenge we're excited to discuss and support at Australia’s biggest clean energy event this year! Our Solcast team, Ben King, Alistair Northam, and George Peters, will be at #AllEnergyAU to connect with partners and customers across the industry. We'll be discussing how we can collaborate to drive the energy transition forward. Chat with our team to learn how Solcast's bankable actuals and high-resolution forecasts can fit into your solar asset development, operations, grid management, and energy and battery optimization. Send us a message or reach out to any of our team members to book a meeting. See you there! #solar #renewableenergy

After a cloudy September, exacerbated by the influence of Hurricane Helene, the southeastern U.S. continues to face similar conditions with the landfall of Hurricane Milton last week. However, Milton’s impact on solar generation has been largely localized, with states like Texas, New York, and regions across the Midwest continuing to produce at or above average levels. The storm’s swift movement offshore limited broader solar generation disruptions, in sharp contrast to typical large slow cloud patterns associated with storm systems. Read the full analysis in the latest pv magazine Global article: https://lnkd.in/gG9MYKJm #solar #milton #hurricane #davavisualisation #energytransition #renewableenergy

Our team was recently talking to a prospective customer who told us: "As our #solar portfolio grows, so does the challenge of accurately predicting project yields. With over 5,000 residential sites and 50 commercial installations, we've noticed discrepancies between actual performance data and the data we use.” Why do these discrepancies happen? There are many factors at play, but this challenge highlights the importance of re-evaluating your datasets as your portfolio scales. The data that once served smaller projects may no longer meet the accuracy demands of a more extensive and diverse solar portfolio. It’s crucial to ensure you’re using the right data - a global irradiance dataset that provides granular, site-specific insights and considers varying climatic conditions, including albedo and terrain shading data, globally. That's why we've made our global long-term GHI averages map available to everyone. Solcast's historical and TMY data are validated for bankability with low uncertainty to help you fine-tune your energy yield predictions and make it more accurate. Check out the map to explore: https://lnkd.in/gjAT954q If you're also growing your solar portfolio, ensure you have the appropriate global data to help you grow faster. Reach out to our team to discuss your solar challenges! #renewableenergy #energytransition #solarporfolio #bankablesolar #solarforecasting 

Smoke from wildfires in the Amazon cost some areas of South America 20% of monthly solar generation. While many regions saw record solar generation due to clear skies, the extended winter drought has led to more large-scale wildfires. Southern Brazil, Uruguay, and even cities along the smoke's path have experienced a 5%-20% drop in irradiance. Check the GIF below for the September aerosols' path. For our full analysis, read it on pv magazine Global: https://lnkd.in/gEz2vvtM To learn how Solcast models aerosols, check our blog here: https://lnkd.in/g2cKBt5T #solar #renewableenergy #energytransition #aerosol #wildfire

"Isn't cloud cover the same as cloud opacity?" It's a question we hear all the time, and it often leads to confusion during data accuracy evaluations. In the Solcast API, cloud opacity is the term used for cloud index or cloud optical thickness, which are often confused with cloud cover. While both metrics sound similar, they play very different roles in solar forecasting. And misunderstanding this can impact your PV and solar generation estimates. So, which metric should you really use for solar energy applications? Our team has written about the differences and why you should consider cloud opacity when talking about irradiance and PV power generation. Cloud opacity is one of the over 30 key parameters available when you sign up for the Solcast API toolkit. Read the blog here: https://lnkd.in/dz7-CNuS Got any additional insights on these two key metrics? Share them below! #solar #cloud #renewableenergy #energytransition #dataevaluation

Clear skies dominated the Southern US throughout August due to a persistent high-pressure ridge across the continent! Many cities experienced a record-breaking solar month, with Atlanta recording its highest average daily August irradiance in Solcast records and some states received up to 130% of average August irradiance. Meanwhile, the Northeast faced opposite conditions, with cloud cover and frequent showers dropping solar generation, and irradiance levels 20% below normal. Check out the difference in irradiance levels between Atlanta and New York below! To learn more about how this contrasting weather pattern impacted solar across the country, read our team's analysis in the latest pv magazine Global article: https://lnkd.in/gVFqAT8h #solar #renewableenergy #energytransition #solarmap #datavisualisation