Solcast, a global solar forecasting company, has released a new PV performance tool, which is designed make it easy for solar owners to quickly check if their installation is working correctly.
Through its global network of five weather satellites, Solcast tracks and predicts the locations and thickness of cloud cover. Using its in-house PV power modeling software, the company produces solar energy generation estimates based on the past week of cloud observations.
Solcast notes that the PV performance tool requires very basic solar installation information – namely, the location, capacity and orientation of the PV array – and it is free to use.
“This new PV performance tool is meant to take the guesswork out of being a solar owner,” says Dr. Nick Engerer, chief technology officer of Solcast. “With the click of a few buttons, you can compare the generation numbers you see on your inverter or online monitoring platform. If there is a big discrepancy, call your solar installer for check-up.”
