Primary Uses
- Reduce imbalance penalties
- Maximize solar production
- Improve scheduling and integration
- Detect reduced production days
- Manage your thermal and renewable energy supply portfolio
With more solar energy coming onto the grid every day, how can you successfully integrate and take advantage of this intermittent resource? 3TIER's solar forecast offers a competitive edge in effectively managing risk at your project and in your energy portfolio.
3TIER's forecast system is based on the most advanced numerical weather prediction modeling techniques. It statistically integrates on-site data to calibrate forecast predictions to a project site's distinct geography and climate. When long-term ground observations are unavailable we use 13+ years of hourly site data from our global solar dataset to provide a reliable and accurate solar production forecast. Our methodology accounts for localized characteristics such as clouds influenced by complex terrain, coastal effects, and monsoon.
3TIER's forecast was created through a partnership with one of the Southwest's largest utilities and solar energy producers. The resulting system was piloted, tested, and improved based on performance in real world applications at actual utility-scale solar projects.
In addition to industry leading accuracy, 3TIER's solar forecast also offers ease of use. Forecasts are delivered through a customizable dashboard, displaying site-specific conditions with easily interpreted graphics. Users can also download the day-ahead irradiance and power forecasts as data files and access historical forecast information.
Forecasting information is made available via a client-specific dashboard interface accompanied by data files in an easily integrated CSV file format. Data files can also be accessed via API.
3TIER developed our solar forecast using the most physically robust technique to provide accurate irradiance and power forecasts specific to a solar project's unique environment. The numerical weather prediction model 3TIER employs is an open source model continually updated and improved upon by the international atmospheric science and research community.
In the forecast model initialization process, we statistically integrate historical observations provided by the client or hourly, high-resolution (3 km), satellite derived solar data, which are well calibrated to ground measurements. This statistical process is called model output statistics (or MOS) and significantly reduces forecast error and bias. In addition, 3TIER validates the solar forecast using our global solar dataset, which is based on over a decade of actual, high-resolution visible satellite imagery observations.
To provide solar forecasting, 3TIER must be supplied with all the meta data for your project such as: time zone, project location, and panel information. For power forecasting the client must provide historical irradiance, power production data, or a power conversion formula. Historical data is not required for GHI forecasting.
If you are unfamiliar with the technical terminology on this page, please visit our Glossary for more information.
