What data should you use for solar projects and operations?

High-performance solar forecasting, resource assessment, and operational planning all start with one thing: accurate irradiance data. But not all data sources capture the factors that truly drive variability — clouds, aerosols, and snow soiling.

Our downloadable guide explores how Solcast, a DNV company, models these factors with the precision needed for commercial and utility-scale decision-making. Inside, you’ll discover why 5-minute cloud tracking, aerosol modelling at 90-metre resolution, and validated snow soiling models can make or break your forecast accuracy and financial results.

Whether you’re choosing a data API, building your own models, or planning for regulatory compliance, this guide will help you ask the right questions — and select solar data that’s fit for purpose.

What's inside the guide?

• Real 5-minute cloud tracking: How satellite imagery, albedo data, and machine learning deliver accurate, real-time forecasts for better asset management, market modelling, and financial planning.
• Aerosol modelling at 90-metre resolution: Why aerosols are a top driver of solar variability and how Solcast’s enhanced modelling delivers more accurate forecasts than standard weather data.
• Snow soiling impact and modelling: How validated models forecast power losses from snow and help improve operational decisions in snowy regions.

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Start evaluating our data via the Solcast API, or reach out to our team to learn more.