Combining solar irradiance measurements, satellite-derived data and a numerical weather prediction model to improve intra-day solar forecasting

• Published in: Renewable energy 2016-11, Vol.97, p.599-610
• Main Authors: Aguiar, L. Mazorra, Pereira, B., Lauret, P., Díaz, F., David, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Artificial neural networks; Condensed Matter; Disordered Systems and Neural Networks; Ground stations; Irradiance; Learning theory; Mathematical models; Neural networks; Numerical weather prediction; Physics; Satellite images; Satellites; Solar energy; Solar forecasting; Weather forecasting
• ISSN: 0960-1481; 1879-0682
• DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2016.06.018

Isolated power systems need to generate all the electricity demand with their own renewable resources. Among the latter, solar energy may account for a large share. However, solar energy is a fluctuating source and the island power grid could present an unstable behavior with a high solar penetration. Global Horizontal Solar Irradiance (GHI) forecasting is an important issue to increase solar energy production into electric power system. This study is focused in hourly GHI forecasting from 1 to 6 h ahead. Several statistical models have been successfully tested in GHI forecasting, such us autoregressive (AR), autoregressive moving average (ARMA) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). In this paper, ANN models are designed to produce intra-day solar forecasts using ground and exogenous data. Ground data were obtained from two measurement stations in Gran Canaria Island. In order to improve the results obtained with ground data, satellite GHI data (from Helioclim-3) as well as solar radiation and Total Cloud Cover forecasts provided by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) are used as additional inputs of the ANN model. It is shown that combining exogenous data (satellite and ECMWF forecasts) with ground data further improves the accuracy of the intra-day forecasts. •Global solar irradiance forecasts in order to improve the rate of solar renewables in the electricity grid of Gran Canarias.•NWP and satellite data are used as exogenous inputs to improve intraday solar forecasting.•Discussion of satellite and NWP data influence on GHI hourly forecasting results.