Through its global network of five weather satellites, Solcast tracks and predicts the locations and thickness of cloud cover around the world. Using their own in-house PV power modelling software, they produce solar energy generation estimates based on the past week of cloud observations. The PV performance tool, which can be used free of charge, only requires very basic information on the solar installation, i.e. location, capacity and orientation of the PV array.
“This new PV performance tool is meant to take the guesswork out of being the operator of a solar system,” Nick Engerer, CTO of Solcast, says. “With the click of a few buttons, you can compare the generation numbers you see on your inverter or online monitoring platform to what they ought to be. If there is a large discrepancy, call your solar installer for check-up!”. Solcast sees it as their mission to supply the global solar community with the data and tools it needs to build the solar-powered future. And as Engerer states, this new tool is very much a part of that mission. “Solar home owners are a part of the global shift to renewables, and we want to support them in any way we can.” (mfo)
You can now sign up for our upcoming pv Guided Tours at The smarter E Europe (Intersolar Europe, ees Europe, Power2Drive, EM-Power) in Munich in May 2019.
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