Blog

A collection of our current and past announcements, events and thoughts on everything related to the solar-powered future
Cloud cover vs Cloud opacity: Which should you use for solar forecasting?

Harry Woods

Cloud cover vs Cloud opacity: Which should you use for solar forecasting?

Understand how cloud cover and cloud opacity impact surface irradiance. Learn which metric is more applicable for solar energy applications.

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Storm Boris delivers record rain and early snows across Europe

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

Storm Boris delivers record rain and early snows across Europe

Storm Boris brought severe flooding with record-breaking rainfall across Central Europe, while the UK and Alpine regions saw their first snowfalls of the season.

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Typhoon Yagi triggers significant drop in solar production across Southeast Asia

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

Typhoon Yagi triggers significant drop in solar production across Southeast Asia

Discover how Typhoon Yagi, a Category 5 storm, caused unprecedented drops in solar production across Southeast Asia, impacting cities like Hanoi, Shenzhen, and Manila.

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How we did it: The story behind Solcast’s big result in major forecast accuracy competition

James Luffman

How we did it: The story behind Solcast’s big result in major forecast accuracy competition

Take a behind-the-scenes look at how Solcast topped the charts in the forecast accuracy trial, using its Advanced PV Model and years of continuous improvements.

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Sunny end to summer boosts solar in most of Europe

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

Sunny end to summer boosts solar in most of Europe

Most of Europe saw record-breaking solar generation in August, with irradiance up to 20% above normal, driven by a strong high-pressure system.

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Solcast’s forecast accuracy proven in major competitive trial

Harry Woods

Solcast’s forecast accuracy proven in major competitive trial

Proving its leadership in solar forecasting, Solcast, a DNV Company, achieved the lowest error rate in the EPRI trial spanning 5 solar plants and 12 weeks from hour ahead to day ahead.

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How can site measurements improve my Solcast Rooftop PV Power forecast?

James Luffman

How can site measurements improve my Solcast Rooftop PV Power forecast?

Discover how to improve your Solcast Rooftop PV Power forecast using site measurements. Learn how tuning can optimize rooftop PV power estimates by capturing shading and underperformance, providing you with more reliable predictions for residential and commercial systems.

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Extreme weather patterns deliver mixed solar results across Australia

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

Extreme weather patterns deliver mixed solar results across Australia

Winter weather extremes led to varied solar energy generation across Australia during July and August 2024, with a polar vortex and high-pressure systems impacting solar irradiance. Check our latest analysis.

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Sunny end to summer delivers record-breaking European solar generation

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

Sunny end to summer delivers record-breaking European solar generation

Europe's solar power sector hit new heights this August, with record-breaking solar generation driven by sunny condition and increased capacity.

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South American Solar smothered by winter wildfires

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

South American Solar smothered by winter wildfires

Wildfires in Brazil and a high-pressure system over the South Pacific influenced solar irradiance across South America in July 2024. Read the full analysis using the Solcast API.

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How can site measurements improve my PV Power forecast?

James Luffman

How can site measurements improve my PV Power forecast?

Discover how to use site measurements in Solcast’s Advanced PV Power model to enhance solar forecast accuracy by combining physical modeling with empirical improvements. Ideal for utility and C&I sites, learn how tuning can optimize your PV power estimates by using site measurement data.

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Typhoon, monsoon, record heatwave impacted irradiance across Asia in July

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

Typhoon, monsoon, record heatwave impacted irradiance across Asia in July

Diverse weather events, from Typhoon Gaemi to a record monsoon and heatwave, caused significant variations in solar irradiance across Asia in July 2024. Check our analysis using the Solcast API.

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Aerosols from Wildfires Slash North American Solar Production

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

Aerosols from Wildfires Slash North American Solar Production

July 2024 saw significant drops in irradiance across North America due to wildfire smoke and atmospheric instability, leading to irradiance levels as low as 80% of long-term averages. Check our latest analysis.

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Weather perspective: Wind Gust, Snowfall Rate and Thunderstorm Potential (CAPE) are now live in the Solcast API!

James Luffman

Weather perspective: Wind Gust, Snowfall Rate and Thunderstorm Potential (CAPE) are now live in the Solcast API!

Learn from Solcast Data Scientist and Meteorologist Dr. Michael Foley as he explains how and why we added three new weather data parameters to the Solcast API.

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Jet stream shift brings winter sunshine to Brazil, cloud to Argentina

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

Jet stream shift brings winter sunshine to Brazil, cloud to Argentina

June's jet stream shift resulted in contrasting irradiance across South America, with Brazil experiencing its sunniest winter and Argentina its cloudiest in almost two decades.

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Texas solar shines through Tropical Storm Beryl

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

Texas solar shines through Tropical Storm Beryl

Tropical Storm Beryl caused temporary dips in Texas solar generation but bounced back quickly. Explore Beryl's path and its impacts on solar energy, and see how Texas solar weathered the storm in the second week of July.

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Weather standstill limits European Solar production in June

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

Weather standstill limits European Solar production in June

Despite being one of the sunniest months of the year, June delivered less solar generation than average for much of Europe this year. Learn what weather patterns caused this result.

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What is the spatial resolution of Solcast's global irradiance, weather and PV power data?

James Luffman

What is the spatial resolution of Solcast's global irradiance, weather and PV power data?

Ever wondered how Solcast delivers accurate forecasts and bankable actuals? Learn more about how we process input data to deliver high-resolution irradiance, weather, and PV power data globally.

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New Mexico solar output drops amid heatwave-induced storms

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

New Mexico solar output drops amid heatwave-induced storms

New Mexico's June solar output decreased by 5-10% due to storms from a heatwave, while other US areas, particularly the North East, experienced increased irradiance. 

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European solar generation takes a hit from ongoing Saharan dust event

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

European solar generation takes a hit from ongoing Saharan dust event

Another Saharan dust event happened in June, significantly impacting European solar generation with up to 20% reduction. Read our analysis on the event's progression and impacts. 

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2024 Outlook: What could La Niña mean for US solar this year?

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

2024 Outlook: What could La Niña mean for US solar this year?

Learn how potential La Niña conditions in 2024 could impact solar production across the US. Check the latest analysis using Solcast API.

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Western Europe cloudy while East sees solar gains in May

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

Western Europe cloudy while East sees solar gains in May

Europe experienced contrasting weather systems that resulted in a solar divide in May. Learn how these patterns affect solar generation.

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Enhanced solar forecasting in North America with HRRR integration

Harry Jack

Enhanced solar forecasting in North America with HRRR integration

We've just integrated the HRRR mesoscale model into our Solcast API for enhanced solar accuracy in North America. Check out the difference between the new and old Solcast models!

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The price of solar forecasting errors: Why accuracy matters

Lorenzo Riches

The price of solar forecasting errors: Why accuracy matters

Accurate solar forecasts are key to stabilizing energy prices. Solcast examines a June 3rd anomaly in Germany to highlight the price of forecasting errors.

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When is the next Aurora due and what's the impact on solar generation?

James Luffman

When is the next Aurora due and what's the impact on solar generation?

Ever wondered how the solar storms that create the Aurora Borealis impact PV generation? Check out how extra-terrestrial irradiance changes solar power during solar flares in our latest insights report.

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Big accuracy gains for Europe

James Luffman

Big accuracy gains for Europe

Solcast forecast improvement is already live for solar operators! Check out how Solcast achieved a relative ~10% error improvement with the integration of high-resolution ICON-EU weather model.

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Dust and cloud impact solar across Arabian Peninsula

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

Dust and cloud impact solar across Arabian Peninsula

While Arabian Peninsula solar falls short due to dust storms and heavy cloud cover, parts of West Asia experienced above-normal irradiance. Check the latest report analysing the dust and weather conditions that impacted solar in West Asia.

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Eclipse and weather impacts on solar generation across the US

Harry Woods

Eclipse and weather impacts on solar generation across the US

Check out the unique view of the eclipse showing the live actuals for the eclipse path and weather impacts on irradiance. The effects on solar generation across American assets and grids were analysed using the Solcast API.

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Solcast's latest cloud forecast for the April 8th Eclipse

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

Solcast's latest cloud forecast for the April 8th Eclipse

Get ready for the April 8th solar eclipse across the US, a key event for eclipse watchers and solar power managers. This interactive forecast map uses cloud tracking built for the solar industry to show the latest forecast for cloud thickness during the eclipse.

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Saharan dust drops irradiance across Europe

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

Saharan dust drops irradiance across Europe

A Saharan dust event impacted solar irradiance across Europe in February, resulting in up to 25% daily losses. Discover how advanced aerosol handling can help you prepare for events like this.

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Atlantic blast hits European solar production

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

Atlantic blast hits European solar production

A cloudy February resulted to 15% below-normal irradiance. Check the weather conditions that contributed to the drop in solar generation in Europe.

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Why an accurate day-ahead solar production forecast matters

Harry Woods

Why an accurate day-ahead solar production forecast matters

Accurate day-ahead forecasts are essential for informed planning, enabling efficient operational dispatch and energy storage. It helps you prevent issues like grid instability, regulatory violations, and financial losses.

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Solar producers across Northern Asia miss out on El Niño generation bump

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

Solar producers across Northern Asia miss out on El Niño generation bump

Despite El Niño conditions, Asia experienced variability in solar irradiance. Northern Asia received below-average irradiance, while other parts of Asia, such as Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, the Philippines, Hokkaido, and parts of China, saw better irradiance results.

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Unusual winter weather led to record-breaking January in Europe

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

Unusual winter weather led to record-breaking January in Europe

Almost all of Europe experienced 10-25% more irradiance than the long term January average. Discover the weather condition that contributed to this result in June irradiance.

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2023 delivers best year this century for irradiance

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

2023 delivers best year this century for irradiance

Explore the Solcast report on 2023's irradiance. Discover how high-quality irradiance data can impact your solar projects.

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Solcast historical data bankability, validated by DNV

James Luffman

Solcast historical data bankability, validated by DNV

Explore the validation and bankability study conducted by DNV on Solcast's global satellite irradiance data. Learn it's importance for your solar projects

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April total eclipse to impact solar generation from Mexico to New England

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

April total eclipse to impact solar generation from Mexico to New England

On April 8, a total eclipse will pass from Mexico, across Texas, and up the East Coast. With the increasing solar capacity in the US, the grid impact of major solar events is also growing. Explore our early forecast on how the eclipse will impact US grids.

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How 5-minute solar data improved Wärtsilä's forecast capabilities

Harry Woods

How 5-minute solar data improved Wärtsilä's forecast capabilities

Understanding weather patterns and their impact on solar production is crucial for making well-informed decisions about your solar projects. Learn how Wärtsilä Energy integrated Solcast’s 5-minute data for improved forecasting and workflow.

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Evaluating accuracy III: PV power data

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

Evaluating accuracy III: PV power data

Evaluating PV Power models is essential to understand how your model processes data and considers PV Power losses. Here is a detailed guide to help you assess a forecast dataset.

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Latest update: Solcast data access simplified with pvlib

Harry Woods

Latest update: Solcast data access simplified with pvlib

The latest release of the PVLIB tool version is designed to help more users to easily fetch Solcast data for more seamless integration.

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Aurora Solar powering residential solar with quality insights

Harry Woods

Aurora Solar powering residential solar with quality insights

Reliable solar data is critical when planning, designing, and building residential solar assets to ensure maximized energy generation potential. Learn how Aurora Solar enhanced its platform with Solcast TMY data, empowering more residential solar professionals.

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Evaluating accuracy II: Forecast irradiance data

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

Evaluating accuracy II: Forecast irradiance data

Evaluating forecast irradiance data is essential in ensuring that you're using a reliable data to effectively design and operate your solar assets. Here is a detailed guide to help you assess a forecast dataset.

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GKN Hydrogen improves control strategy for optimal storage performance

Harry Woods

GKN Hydrogen improves control strategy for optimal storage performance

Managing off-grid energy storage requires accurate forecast data. Discover how GKN Hydrogen integrated the Solcast API for improved control strategy in this case study.

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Evaluating accuracy I: Satellite-derived irradiance data

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

Evaluating accuracy I: Satellite-derived irradiance data

Evaluating Accuracy is essential when selecting a solar data provider, make sure you're completing the right level of validation for your needs, and find easy solutions to the challenges of data validation.

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Suncast: Build Vs Buy, Why DNV acquired Solcast, and what it means for Solar

Harry Woods

Suncast: Build Vs Buy, Why DNV acquired Solcast, and what it means for Solar

Hear from Solcast's James Luffman and DNV's Dana Olson on why DNV acquired Solcast, and how solar data is powering the solar industry.

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Eliminate boilerplate and focus on coding: Solcast’s new Python SDK

Harry Woods

Eliminate boilerplate and focus on coding: Solcast’s new Python SDK

Designed for ease and efficiency, our SDK eliminates boilerplate code, so you can concentrate on building your project, not wrestling with APIs.

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October 2023 Annular Eclipse impacts on the American Grid

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

October 2023 Annular Eclipse impacts on the American Grid

See how the October 2023 annular eclipse impacted solar power production across American Power Grids, the United States and Central and South America.

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Getting the right data for Solar III: Snow Soiling

Harry Woods

Getting the right data for Solar III: Snow Soiling

Learn how snow soiling impacts assets and grids, and how Solcast's models account for snow soiling levels in power modelling, grid aggregations and more.

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Getting the right data for Solar II: Tracking Aerosols at 90 metre resolution globally

Harry Woods

Getting the right data for Solar II: Tracking Aerosols at 90 metre resolution globally

Explore the critical role of aerosols in solar irradiance and how Solcast's aerosol modelling provides a more comprehensive irradiance data.

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Getting the right data for Solar I: Real 5-minute cloud tracking (past, present, forecast)

Harry Woods

Getting the right data for Solar I: Real 5-minute cloud tracking (past, present, forecast)

Discover how Solcast uses satellite imagery and weather forecasts to build 5 minute cloud tracking models and provide irradiance data for everywhere in the world.

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El Niño threats to US winter solar production: What does it mean for my portfolio?

Harry Woods

El Niño threats to US winter solar production: What does it mean for my portfolio?

El Niño historically brings increased cloud cover to most of North America, negatively impacting solar production compared to the long term average. Learn more about the climatological impacts of El Niño has had in the United States and Canada historically and what that means for solar generation from your assets.

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Solcast Data Powering Victron Energy's New Solar Forecast Feature

Harry Woods

Solcast Data Powering Victron Energy's New Solar Forecast Feature

Discover how Victron Energy is utilizing Solcast's global solar irradiance data to power their innovative new Solar Forecasts feature. Explore how this collaboration is shaping the future of solar energy.

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WHOA! Terrain shading is now live in the Solcast API

James Luffman

WHOA! Terrain shading is now live in the Solcast API

Until last week, Solcast only supported user-supplied horizons, and only for our Advanced PV Model data product. It was a good start that we made a couple of years ago, but we wanted to go further.

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What is a nowcast?: Using science to understand the ‘solar pipeline’

James Luffman

What is a nowcast?: Using science to understand the ‘solar pipeline’

Explore the indispensable role of accurate irradiance nowcasts in optimizing solar power generation. Uncover how these short-term forecasts are built and how they help improve efficiency, reduce costs, and contribute to the energy transition in the solar industry

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How old is too old for solar resource assessment data?

James Luffman

How old is too old for solar resource assessment data?

Explore the role of satellite data quality and climate change in solar resource estimation, and learn why Solcast's historical time series data starts from 2007 for more accurate solar irradiance assessments.

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Behind the scenes: Modelling the irradiance impacts of this week’s hybrid solar eclipse

Dr. Hugh Cutcher

Behind the scenes: Modelling the irradiance impacts of this week’s hybrid solar eclipse

Discover the rare hybrid solar eclipse over Australia on April 20, 2023, and explore its impact on solar irradiance. Dive into the technical details behind our cutting-edge modelling techniques and the implications for the Western Australia power grid.

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Why did Solcast choose DNV?

James Luffman

Why did Solcast choose DNV?

Solcast has now joined DNV, as announced February 1st 2023. For our customers, nothing is changing. Solcast is still operating from our Sydney Office. We have the same great team and products - and DNV is investing to support our growth.

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Why use a solar specific weather forecast?

James Luffman

Why use a solar specific weather forecast?

Sometimes we get asked “what’s the difference between Solcast data and forecasts from the (many) generic weather apps and APIs?”.

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Solcast and DNV join forces to drive adoption of global solar irradiance data

James Luffman

Solcast and DNV join forces to drive adoption of global solar irradiance data

Solcast announces they are joining forces with DNV to drive adoption of global solar irradiance data.

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Meet the team: Alex Jarkey, CTO

Gino Zem

Meet the team: Alex Jarkey, CTO

Alex Jarkey is the newest employee at Solcast and has taken on the demanding role of CTO.

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Major update to the Solcast API Toolkit

James Luffman

Major update to the Solcast API Toolkit

Users working in the Solcast API Toolkit can now interact with the latest version of the Solcast API!

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Wall Street Journal mention

Solcast Team

Wall Street Journal mention

We get a special mention in this week's Wall Street Journal - Sustainable Business section.

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Load Forecasting Case Study with TESLA Forecast

Dr Nick Engerer

Load Forecasting Case Study with TESLA Forecast

Solcast has an established history of collaboration with load forecasting tech company, TESLA Forecast. Together, we're taking on the next generation of rooftop solar challenges in South Australia. Learn more in our case study.

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