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Modelling - FAQs
Solcast API
What is an API request? How many API requests do I need?
Hobbyists and Researchers
Troubleshooting and FAQs
Data Troubleshooting and FAQs
What timezone are the timestamps?User Guides
Subscription ManagementAccount FAQsIssue that occur within data
Check the FAQs to troubleshoot any common issues with interpreting and using data in the Solcast API or Tookit.
FAQs
Why am I getting zero power forecasts during daylight hours?
Check the power capacity, tilt or azimuth parameters in your Rooftop or Advanced PV Power request. You can see the documentation for these request parameters at https://docs.solcast.com.au.
Another possible reason may be that snow, dust or terrain shading is being included in the model and hence the predicted power output is significantly reduced.
How can I convert UTC to my Timezone?
We recommend using UTC to avoid changing timezones. You may want to validate Solcast data against one of your own data sets, and the difference between the dates in the two datasets is making a manual comparison difficult. You may be carrying out your comparison using Excel spreadsheets or files in csv format. If this is you, we have a tool for you that may help you out.
solcast-timezone-converter.xlsx
The above is a link to an excel spreadsheet that contains a tool to convert time series data retrieved from the Solcast API and applies a fixed offset to it.
The spreadsheet contains specific instructions on how to use the tool, but in a nutshell you would follow the below steps:
- Within the csv file containing Solcast API data, copy the column containing the time series you want to convert.
- Paste the time series into the first column of the solcast-timezone-converter spreadsheet
- Identify the fixed offset you want applied to the time series data (10 or -5, or some other offset). The tool will then apply the offset to the time series into a new column
- Copy and paste the updated time series data with applied offset back into your original csv file
Further information can be found within Why we don’t provide data in local time?
Help, I’m getting 4XX errors?
If you receive a 400 Bad Request response alongside the response error code “Unsupported output_parameter(s) requested”, this is likely because the output parameters you are trying to send within the API is not available on the plan you are on.
If however you are making the API request to our unmetered locations, these locations will allow you to query all the available parameters, so you can evaluate the usefulness of the responding value for your own purposes.
In most instances the error reponse will also let you know which of the output parameters are causing the 400 error, however, please also check our API Docs, to ensure that the parameters are indeed available for that endpoint.
If you are receiving the error code: “This account has been locked”, it is likely that your account has been locked. This is primarily due to too many incorrect password attempts in the Solcast toolkit account login. If this is the case, please complete a password reset, and once successful, this will unlock your toolkit account and enable you to start making API requests again.
You may also receive this error if you are not authenticated to receive data from this specific endpoint. The error will display “This site can’t be reached” or “ERR_INVALID_RESPONSE”. If you are using the web browser to obtain the data, you can log into the Solcast toolkit and then visit the endpoint again, or alternatively (especially if you’re making the call from a server or third party tool) is to include the “&api_key={insert_your_api_key_here}” at the end of your URL and that should authenticate you to receive the data.
Typical error messages are 402 Forbidden or 402 Payment Required.
This is likely caused by going over your quota of requests. In order to check, within the Solcast toolkit, select your user details at the top right, then within the dropdown, select Manage Subscriptions. Here you will be able to see your requests limit, and know if you have exceeded that value.
As per the screenshot above, you can also select view logs, or View request log (or View request log by location)
This will call our Service Stack tool to provide the specific API calls for this API endpoint, where it may provide further detail for troubleshooting.
If you are seeing 'Forbidden' on my API requests.
This may specifically relate to the error response “ApiKey has been cancelled”, which indicates that you have regenerated your API key but have not updated the API key in your system to accept the new value.
There are many possible situations where you receive 404 errors.
One of the potential reason could be the API key being entered incorrectly. In this case, the response status message will be ApiKey does not exist.
If you are encountering 429 errors, we advise that you may be trying to send through too many requests from a single server at a given time. Please try waiting, or creating larger gaps between calls to alleviate this error.
To view your rate limit, please click on your name (top right), then Manage Subscription, then within your product plan, you should be able to view the Rate Limit.
Each product will have it’s own rate limit. Please ensure that you double check this prior to coding.