Solar power is set to occupy an increasingly important role in Europe, as the European Union (EU) strives to implement its Green Deal, reduce fossil fuel imports and increase the share of renewables in its final energy consumption. Energy producers can use Reuniwatt’s solar power forecasts to estimate how much energy they will be able to generate from the solar resource on a given day. To mitigate the intermittency of solar power, forecasting services are important for both independent producers as well as Transmission System Operators (TSOs).
Atmospheric data for solar forecasts
CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) is one of six services that form Copernicus, the EU’s Earth observation programme. It is implemented by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), an independent intergovernmental organisation supported by 35 States.
One company combining CAMS data with data from other sources to offer high-quality services for a range of applications is Reuniwatt. As a Small Medium Enterprise (SME) that specialises in atmospheric sciences and solar irradiation forecasting, the renewable energy sector is a key market for us. Reuniwatt combines data from the CAMS Radiation Service with satellite imagery to deliver best-in-class solar forecasts.
Value of CAMS for forecasting services
“CAMS provides access to high quality data worldwide. It makes environmental data easy to handle, enabling a fast proof of concept as well as cutting-edge industrial solutions. CAMS helped to unleash the innovation potential of our SME, enabling Reuniwatt to become a market leader with our value-added spatial data services for the solar industry,” explains Reuniwatt founder and CEO Nicolas Schmutz.
For our InstaCast™, HourCast™ and DayCast™ services, Reuniwatt combines data such as aerosol forecasts and water column data, with satellite imagery to deliver robust predictions – from intra-hour forecasts to forecasts for up to 10 days in advance.
These forecasts are of significant benefit to the renewable energy sector, where accurate forecasting helps to manage supply and demand in the energy system while optimising costs. For example, energy producers can use forecasts to estimate how much energy they will be able to generate from the solar resource on a given day. This is important both for independent producers, who need to commit daily to supplying a certain amount of energy into the grid, and for TSOs, who need to balance supply and demand.
Forecasts can also help the energy sector to reduce emissions, as producers know in advance how much conventional energy will be needed to make up any anticipated shortfall in renewable production, and to prepare the best possible alternative generating source in terms of emissions. Anticipated knowledge of production levels also makes it possible to ramp up conventional back-up sources at the right time to meet demand as and when it is needed, and to optimise the use of available energy storage.
To learn more about how CAMS is supporting the solar industry, read the original article here: https://atmosphere.copernicus.eu/copernicus-supporting-europes-solar-industry (published on Nov. 24, 2022)
About Reuniwatt (www.reuniwatt.com)
Reuniwatt is a major player of the solar radiation and cloud cover assessment and solar and wind power forecasting. Based on solid Research and Development works, the company offers reliable products and services intended for professionals of various fields, making the best out of two key facets of the meteorology: atmospheric physics and data sciences. A particular focus has been placed on solar energy forecasting, while developing cutting edge solutions to improve the short-term prediction of the solar resource.
The company has won many grants, including H2020’s SME Phase 1 programme, which makes Reuniwatt a European Champion with regard to innovation. Reuniwatt has also been selected among the national fast-growing companies to join the prestigious French Tech 120 programme in 2020 and 2021, and the French Space Tour 2021