Bulk API

Bulk API

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Information regarding the Solcast Bulk API for Live and Forecast

Solcast Bulk API for Live and Forecast allows organisations to make a single API call to retrieve data for a large number of points.

Why would you choose the Bulk API?

The Bulk API endpoint was created to simplify the process for organisations that need to obtain large amounts of live and forecast data for a collection of points with a single API, without having to configure code to make a large amount of API calls.

To get a forecast for 5,000 locations with Solcast’s Forecast API, you would need to make 5,000 API calls

To get a forecast for 5,000 locations with the Bulk API, you just need to make a single request to get the data in a .zip file.

Organisations that need to make a large volume of API calls, and would likely run into rate limit issues would benefit greatly with the use of the Bulk API.

Who should use the Bulk API?

The minimum requirements for organisations to use bulk API, would be dependent on their live and forecast tier.

For Live and Forecast Starter, the requirement is 50,000 locations.

For Live and Forecast Pro, the requirement is 20,000 locations.

For Live and Forecast Max, the requirement is 10,000 locations.

What is the Bulk API?

The Bulk API is a collection of points (latitude and longitude) values which is run at a set schedule and according to set parameters that are available within the live and forecast irradiance and weather endpoint.

The contract is configured by the Solcast technical team, where as the collection (adding and removing points) is to be completed by the organisation.

A contract is the high level agreement of the parameters that will be used to generate the data with the Solcast system.

A collection is the list of points (latitude and longitude) values of which Solcast will use when generating the data.

A point is a latitude and longitude from which you would like included in the bulk API extract.

When would an organisation use the Bulk API?

Rather than making 10,000 request for different latitude and longitudes, Solcast will run them for you, and provide you a method to use a single API (detailed below) to obtain the data for all all the points within the given collection.

Where can you use the Bulk API?

Below are the following API URL’s you can use for the Bulk Endpoint:

Get your collections

https://api.solcast.com.au/data/bulk/{CONTRACT_ID}?api_key={YOUR_API_KEY}

Get your list of points within the collection

https://api.solcast.com.au/data/bulk/collections/{COLLECTION_ID}/points?api_key={YOUR_API_KEY}

Post your new points to the collection

https://api.solcast.com.au/data/bulk/collections/{COLLECTION_ID}/points
curl --location --request POST
'https://api.solcast.com.au/data/bulk/collections/{COLLECTION_ID}/points' \
--header 'Authorization: Bearer {API_KEY}' \
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--data-raw '{
"point_id": ["p-0033.88_-0151.17", "p-00040.0_+00151.0"],
"latitude": [-33.88,-40],
"longitude": [151.17,151]
}'
💡
point_id is a unique identifier. Sending through a duplicate point_id will overwrite the existing value.

Delete your points in the collection

https://api.solcast.com.au/data/bulk/collections/{COLLECTION_ID}/points
curl --location --request DELETE
'https://api.solcast.com.au/data/bulk/collections/{COLLECTION_ID}/points' \
--header 'Authorization: Bearer {API_KEY}' \
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--data-raw '{
"point_id": ["p-0033.88_-0151.17", "p-00040.0_+00151.0"]
}'

Get your available files

https://api.solcast.com.au/data/bulk/collections/{COLLECTION_ID}/results?job_name=forecast&api_key={YOUR_API_KEY}

How can you get started with the Bulk API?

In order to sign up for the Solcast Bulk API, please contact sales@solcast.com with your requirements and they’ll be able to get you up and running.

The Solcast technical team will then be able to configure your bulk API contract based off the agreed criteria of which you will then be able to obtain the data via the API endpoints listed above.