This report presents the lessons learnt in the Gridded Renewable Nowcasting Demonstration over South Australia (SA) project between October 2020 and March 2021.
Report extract
In this ARENA funded project, Solcast is enhancing existing weather forecast services by developing a proof of concept demonstration of a forecasting tool which will track and predict renewable output in real time. Solcast’s forecasting tool now predicts up to six hours ahead in five-minute increments, distributed into 1-2km grids across SA.
Solcast is actively tracking the real-time evolution of weather systems over SA and forecast the positions and characteristics of cloud cover and now issuing predictions of wind-speeds at the wind turbine nacelles (above ground). The forecasts extend out to six hour ahead forecasting and now providing information for grid operation and enhanced management of generation, energy storage, and demand response to our project partners.
Solcast has to date, leveraged historical surface meteorological measurement data and wind and solar farm weather data for forecast generation. These forecasts are being shared via project partners, Weatherzone and Tesla Asia Pacific, to be assessed and used by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), the local distribution network operator (SA Power Networks), and generator asset operators.
