Data Parameter Definitions

AC capacity (inverters)

Total inverter (nameplate) capacity in MW. This is the highest potential output of the system before any Site Export Limit is applied

Used to model the conversion of DC power to AC by your inverters

>=0

None - Required field

DC capacity (modules)

Total module capacity in MW. Usually slightly higher than the AC capacity.

Used to model the generation of DC power by your modules

>=0

1.27*AC capacity

Grid export limit

The maximum power export limit in MW that is allowed by the site's connection with the network operator

Used to place a final cap on your AC power output. Only impacts your AC power if the grid export limit is set lower than the AC capacity

>=0

Disabled

Install date

The date when your site was installed

Used to derate your module (DC) production gradually with age, at a rate dependent on your Module Type

1970-01-01 to present date

1 year before date at site creation

Latitude

Site latitude (centre of site) in decimal degrees (EPSG:4326).

Used to locate your site.

-90 to +90

None - Required field

Longitude

Site longitude (centre of site) in decimal degrees (EPSG:4326).

Used to locate your site.

-180 to +180

None - Required field

Name

The user-defined name of the site.

Used to display a name for your site. Can be changed.

None, required

Tracking type

The type of sun-tracking or geometrical configuration of your site's modules

Used to calculate the incident irradiance for your modules

"fixed_tilt" or "horizontal_single_axis"

None - Required field

Age degradation derating coefficient

The factor by which the whole system will be derated per year since the Install Date.

Used to calculate time dependent system loss.

0 to 1

0.0023 (mono-Si) 0.0059 (poly-Si) 0.0095 (a-Si) 0.0030 (CdTe) 0.0002 (CIGS)

Ground coverage ratio

The proportion of the site's ground area covered by modules.

Used to calculate the incident irradiance for your modules.

0 to 1

0.36 if tracking_type is horizontal_single_axis 0.47 if tracking type is fixed

Module temperature derating coefficient

The factor by which your site's module (DC) production will be derated with increasing temperature.

Used to derate your module (DC) production gradually with increasing temperature.

-1 to 0

0.0039 (mono-Si) 0.0039 (poly-Si) 0.0031 (a-Si) 0.0026 (CdTe) 0.0042 (CIGS)

Module type

The type of material or technology used in your site's PV modules.

Used to estimate your module temperature derating coefficient (unless you specify your own coefficient) and used to estimate your module age derating.

Monocrystalline Silicon (mono-Si) Polycrystalline Silicon (poly-Si) Amorphous Silicon (a-Si) Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS)

Polycrystalline Silicon (poly-Si) if install date is >= 2013 Monocrystalline Silicon (mono-Si) if install date < 2013

Other losses derating coefficient

The factor by which the whole system will be derated due to causes other than temperature and degradation.

Used to calculate other system losses including mismatch, wiring and connection.

0 to 1

Inferred from AC capacity if not specified

Peak inverter efficiency

The peak efficiency value in your inverter efficiency curve.

Used to scale the conversion efficiency of DC to AC, as a function of the inverter load.

0 to 1

0.985

Module azimuth angle

The off-north-facing direction on the horizon in which the modules are facing for a fixed-tilt site.

Used to calculate the incident irradiance for your modules.

-180 to 180. South is -180, East is -90, North is 0, West is 90

Set to 0 if latitude is less than zero, otherwise set to 180

Module tilt angle

The off-horizontal tilt angle of modules for a fixed-tilt site.

Used to calculate the incident irradiance for your modules.

0 to 90. Zero means the modules are horizontal

Quadratic function of site Latitude

Tracker axis azimuth angle

The off north-south azimuth angle for a horizontal single axis tracking site. Most commonly this will be close to zero.

Used to calculate the incident irradiance for your modules.

-180 to 180. South is -180, East is -90, North is 0, West is 90

0 (north-south axis)

Tracker back-tracking

Whether the trackers backtrack at low solar elevation angles, for a horizontal single axis tracking site.

Used to calculate the incident irradiance for your modules.

True, False

True if install date is >Jan 2015, else False

Tracker maximum rotation angle

The maximum off-horizontal angle for a horizontal single axis tracking site.

Used to calculate the incident irradiance for your modules.

0 to 90

50°

Tracker smart tracking

Whether the trackers move to horizontal during cloudy periods with zero DNI, for a horizontal single axis tracking site.

Used to calculate the incident irradiance for your modules.

True, False

FALSE

Average dust soiling losses

The average proportion of module production lost due to dust soiling, from 0 to 1. E.g. 0.02 for April means a 2% soiling loss will be applied throughout April. The value entered should reflect the impact of cleaning activity at your site.

Used to calculate the module (DC) production We accept either a single yearly average value, or a set of 12 monthly average values.

0 to 1

0.015

Average terrain azimuth

The average terrain slope downhill direction.

Used to calculate the incident irradiance for your modules. Terrain Azimuth is meaningful only when terrain_slope>0.

-180 to 180. South is -180, East is -90, North is 0, West is 90.

0°

Average terrain slope

The average terrain slope in degrees of your site. A site with no terrain slope has a value of zero.

Used to calculate the incident irradiance for your modules.

0 to 90

0°

Topographic horizon elevation

The elevation angle of topography (e.g. hills and mountains) surrounding the general area of your site, at a set of specified different azimuth (direction) angles.

Used to calculate the incident irradiance for your modules

0 to 90 for each elevation value. -180 to 180 for each azimuth value. The list must have the same number of azimuths and elevations

0° elevation at every azimuth

apply_availability

Proportion of the site's total AC (inverter) capacity that is currently generating or expected to be generating during the forecast request period. E.g. if you specify a 30% availability, your returned power will be a maximum of 30% of AC capacity.

To adjust the pv power value returned by the Solcast API.

True-False

FALSE

apply_constraint

Constraint on site's total AC production, applied as a cap in the same way as the metadata parameter Site Export Limit. This will constrain all Solcast power values to be no higher than the apply_constraint value you specify. If you need an unconstrained forecast, you should not use this parameter.

To adjust the pv power value returned by the Solcast API.

True-False

FALSE

apply_dust_soiling

A user-override for dust_soiling_average. If you specify this parameter in your API call, we will replace the annual or monthly average dust soiling values for the site with the value you specify in your API call. E.g. if you specify a 0.7 dust soiling, your returned power will be reduced by 70%.

Used to calculate the module (DC) production.

True-False

FALSE

apply_snow_soiling

A user-override for Solcast's dynamic snow soiling, which is based on global snow cover and weather forecast data, and changes from hour-to-hour. If you specify this parameter in your API call (e.g. if snow clearing has just been performed), we will replace the Solcast dynamic hour-to-hour value with the single value that you specify. E.g. if you specify a 0.7 snow soiling, your returned power will be reduced by 70%.

Used to calculate the module (DC) production.

True-False

FALSE

apply_tracker_inactive

Indicating if trackers are inactive. If True, panels are assumed all facing up (i.e. zero rotation). Only has effect if your site has a tracking_type that is not "fixed".

Used to calculate the module (DC) production

True-False

FALSE