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Solar resource assessment and forecasting data for irradiance and PV power. Created using a global fleet of weather satellites. Independently validated. Free to try. Access our data in just a few minutes with the Solcast API Toolkit.
Solar API
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Solar data services… in the cloud

We built a new approach to solar forecasting and modeling technology from the ground up, using the latest in weather satellite imagery, machine learning, computer vision and big databases. We crunch more than 600 million new forecasts every hour in a cloud-based environment on AWS and provide real-time access to our data via API. Use the API Toolkit to access nearly 20 years of historical data, including TMY files.

Historical and TMY Data

  • Low uncertainty, zero bias, bankable dataset
  • Independent validation & global coverage
  • High resolution data: Up to 5 minute / 90 meter resolution
  • PV modelling software integration (PVSyst, SAM, TMY3, CSV)
  • Solar irradiance (GHI, DNI, DHI)
  • Weather (Temp, Wind, Humidity, Snow, etc)
  • Includes aerosol impacts (tracking of smoke, dust, haze)

Live and Forecast Data

  • Solar irradiance data (GHI, DNI, Diffuse)
  • Weather (Temp, Wind, Humidity, Snow, etc)
  • PV power modelling (Rooftop or Utility Scale)
  • Fully-global coverage
  • Rapid update (new forecasting data every 5-15 minutes)
  • Proprietary cloud & aerosol detection (tracking smoke, dust, haze)
  • Probabilistic forecasting outputs
  • Real-time data through to 14 days ahead at 5, 10, 15, 30 & 60 minute resolution
  • Delivered via REST API (download CSV or JSON)
Try it for free, no credit card required.

Learn more about our data

Latest Posts

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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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

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

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historical and TMY

OverviewTime SeriesTMYValidation and Accuracy

Live and Forecast

OverviewData SpecificationsForecast AccuracyGrid AggregationsWeather Service Comparisons

Resources

Irradiance MethodologyRooftop PV ModelAdvanced PV ModelAPI DocumentationSDKs and PackagesPublicationsData and API Changelog

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Pricing

TMYHistorical Time SeriesLive and ForecastGrid Aggregations

Free Tools

Solar Radiation MapsHome PV System ForecastsData for Researchers

Date

Description

Change to

Impact

2024-09-03

Scheduled: 2024-09-03

Air Temp Output Format

Data

API

The Air Temp output parameter will be updated from integer values to decimal values for TMY Radiation and Weather endpoint

2024-05-30

Scheduled: 2024-05-30

Improved forecast accuracy in North America

Data

API

The irradiance and PV Power forecasts produced from 2 hours ahead to 48 hours ahead in North America are improved due to the addition of HRRR model to the inputs of the Cloud Model

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2024-05-21

Scheduled: 2024-05-21

Historic API Timestamp Output Format

Data

API

The Historic endpoints for Radiation and Weather, Rooftop PV Power and Advanced PV Power timestamp output will be in the format yyyy-MM-ddThh:mm:ss±hh:mm

2024-05-07

Scheduled: 2024-05-07

Increased issue time of medium term forecasts

Data

API

The issue frequency of Solcast medium term forecasts is doubled from 4 times a day to 8 times a day

2024-05-07

Scheduled: 2024-05-07

Addition of ICON-EU as in input of Solcast Cloud Model

Data

API

The irradiance and PV Power forecasts produced from 2 hours ahead to 48 hours ahead in Europe are improved due to the addition of ICON-EU to the inputs of the Cloud Model

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2024-04-05

Scheduled: 2024-04-05

Updated North America Cloud Calibrations

Data

API

Improved accuracy for historic, live and forecast cloud, irradiance and power data

2024-03-28

Scheduled: 2024-03-28

Updated Europe Cloud Calibrations

Data

API

Improved accuracy for historic, live and forecast cloud, irradiance and power data

2024-02-13

Scheduled: 2024-02-13

TMY 2023 inputs

Data

API

TMY queries now include the whole of 2023 in the input long-term timeseries when generating the synthetic TMY data.

2024-02-12

Scheduled: 2024-02-12

Himawari-9 cloud calibrations

Data

API

Now that Himawari-9 has been operational over East Asia and Oceania for a sufficient period, we have updated our cloud calibrations over this region. All cloud, radiation and PV power data over the region from 2022-12-13 onwards has been updated and is now more accurate.

2024-02-06

Scheduled: 2024-02-06

Rooftop Model Panel Backtracking

Data

API

Our Radiation and Weather model across all products now take into account backtracking of solar panels for array_type=horizontal_single_axis, which will give a more physically realistic shape to our GTI. Note that the Advanced PV Power model already includes backtracking and is not affected by this change.

2024-02-01

Scheduled: 2024-02-01

Improved resolution terrain elevation model

Data

API

We’ve implemented changes to our Digital Surface Model which will enable higher resolution and accuracy. We’ve migrated from Mapzen DEM to the Copernicus DEM. Results retrieved after this change should be considered higher accuracy.

2023-10-26

Scheduled: 2023-10-26

Improved Clearsky Model: South America

Data

API

Radiation and PV power data over South America is now more accurate.

2023-09-28

Scheduled: 2023-09-28

Historic Time Series (Toolkit download)

Data

API

The Historic Time Series csv files downloaded from Toolkit are now in the same format as those obtained from the Historic Time Series API endpoint.

2023-08-28

Scheduled: 2023-08-28

PvSyst SnowDepth Parameter

Data

API

Added the SnowDepth parameter to TMY data downloads in the pvsyst+csv format.

2023-08-07

Scheduled: 2023-08-07

Bifacial PV Module snow modelling

Data

API

Improved Power estimates for bifacial Advanced PV Power systems during snow events.

2023-07-19

Scheduled: 2023-07-19

TMY P50 update

Data

API

Specialty /tmy_hourly endpoint, and Legacy TMY p50 toolkit access, now uses latest version of radiation algorithms and recent years, updated from a static snapshot dataset.

2023-07-05

Scheduled: 2023-07-05

Forecast DNI

Data

API

Improved bias for forecast DNI and power.

2023-06-29

Scheduled: 2023-06-29

Terrain Shading

Data

API

Providing URL parameter terrain_shading=True to API requests will apply terrain shading. See https://solcast.com/blog/whoa-terrain-shading-is-now-live-in-the-solcast-api

2023-06-21

Scheduled: 2023-06-21

Cloud detection over snow improvement

Data

API

Improved accuracy during snow events in Historic data

2023-06-05

Scheduled: 2023-06-05

Dawn/dusk cloud detection update

Data

API

Improved accuracy for Live actuals near dawn/dusk, and for short-range forecasts issued around dawn/dusk.

2023-05-20

Scheduled: 2023-05-20

New TMY API endpoint

Data

API

Probabilistic and 15min and up TMY data now available via API calls. Previously this was only available via manually using the Solcast API Toolkit. See https://docs.solcast.com.au/#2144b738-a1f7-4647-9067-6e7f6eca32a8

2023-05-10

Scheduled: 2023-05-10

Historic Eclipses

Data

API

Historic data now includes effects of Eclipses (note that this was already the case for Live and Forecast data).

2023-05-02

Scheduled: 2023-05-02

Unmetered Locations added for all products

Data

API

Unmetered locations for testing and integration available for all products https://docs.solcast.com.au/#unmetered-locations

2023-04-19

Scheduled: 2023-04-19

New Snow parameters

Data

API

New parameters available: snow_water_equivalent, snow_depth. See https://solcast.com/blog/new-snow-parameters-api

2023-03-21

Scheduled: 2023-03-21

Cloud calibration update

Data

API

Improved accuracy for Live and Forecast Data, and post-2020 Historic data. We have updated our calibrations as the current generation of satellites have now been operating for several years, so more accurate calibrations are possible.

2023-01-09

Scheduled: 2023-01-09

Snow soiling update

Data

API

Minor improvements to snow soiling calculations.

2022-12-15

Scheduled: 2022-12-15

Radiation model update

Data

API

Improved bias and error for radiation and power data. See https://solcast.com/blog/new-input-drives-improvement-hts