Kilowatts.io Solar API

Overview

Kilowatts.io Solar API is designed to enable users to efficiently assess the solar photovoltaic (PV) generation potential of projects within the United Kingdom. By leveraging extensive historical weather data from the US NOAA Meteorological Office, the API provides simulations for typical PV installations using high-level parameters. This enables users to project expected solar generation with an emphasis on understanding variability and potential outcomes.

Key Features

1. Seasonal Analysis: Evaluate solar generation potential for different months, offering insights into seasonal variations in weather.

2. Time-of-Day Analysis: Within each calendar month, the API provides generation data for different times of the day, based on conventional half-hourly settlement periods.

3. Percentile-Based Outcomes:

   • The API presents data in percentiles to illustrate the range of potential outcomes due to daily weather variations.
   • At its simplest, users can focus on the p50 values (median values) for a straightforward analysis.
   • For a more detailed view, exploring p10, p25, p75, and p90 values can provide a broader understanding of potential variances.

4. Generation Calculations: The API calculates expected generation in three ways:

   • Typical Year: Summing the expected kWh for the 365.25 days in a typical year.
   • Typical Day: Summing the expected KWh to a daily level within a specific calendar month (e.g. July). This may be especially helpful for evaluating co-located storage.
   • Typical Half-Hour: Focusing at an even higher level at each typical half-hour (settlement period) of a day within a specific calendar month (e.g. April). This can be helpful in combination with profiling of on-site consumption.

Applications

This API is particularly useful for solar energy project planners, researchers, and renewable energy enthusiasts who need to understand and predict solar PV generation potential in the UK.