Optimized Operational Solar Forecasting: A Scalable Strategy Toward Firm, Renewable Power

Grid-connected solar power generation, either dispersed or centralized, has developed and grown at the margin of a core of dispatchable and baseload conventional generation. Its economics and management have required ever more versatile and precise historical and operational solar resource information with increasing penetration. Operational solar forecasts have become central to both TSO/RTO and distribution operations in regions with significant solar penetration, for e.g., energy markets, ramp and power quality management.