To do solar forecasting well requires the ability to model the impacts of clouds. Different cloud types impact the amount of energy produced by a solar farm in significant ways...whether it's a haze in the sky, fog near the ground, or thick cumulus clouds that cause dark shadows and block more solar radiation, to name a few. Thus a skilled solar forecast should consider solar irradiance and transfer.
This week I appreciated the opportunity to present AER's approach to "Surface Solar Irradiance: Cloud Observations and Radiative Transfer Modeling", during the "Short-Term and Day-Ahead Forecasting" portion of the Solar Resources and Forecasting Workshop hosted by the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL).