Solcast Products
Evaluate Data Access
Testing the Solcast data API
Data Modelling
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 FAQsSolcast Rooftop PV sites
How do I create a rooftop forecasting site? How do I enter my home solar system details? Where do I begin?
Creating a new Rooftop site
What to do first
First, you'll need to login to the API Toolkit, and scroll down to the "Rooftop" section, and select 'Add site'.
Entering details about your Rooftop PV system
In order to generate a forecast or estimated actuals for your Rooftop PV site, we'll need to know where it is, a name, and some details about your PV array. You'll enter those in the site creation page:
What are all of these required data points?Some of you may be new to Solar PV power modelling, so we've put together a bit more information on how to know what to enter in the above fields:
- What is AC or DC capacity?
- What is azimuth? How do I find my azimuth?
- What is tilt? How do I find out my tilt?
- What is the efficiency factor?
Getting the data!
All of the Solcast data products operate via an API (Application Programming Interface). The purpose of the API Toolkit, is to make this easier to understand, and get you the data you're after more quickly and easily.
The easiest way to interact with your data, is to look at the demonstration plots that are available on the "site detail" page for your newly created Rooftop PV site, which will appear at: https://toolkit.solcast.com.au/rooftop-sites
You can also retrieve the data in CSV, json or XML format via an API call, which you can build according to your desired outcome in the 'Download' section of this page. You can copy the URL from the "API" field and paste it into your web browser to view the data. From there, you'll need to download it into your favourite data analysis program (i.e. excel or google sheets for the newbies out there!).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Within the Solcast Toolkit the Live and Forecast Rooftop PV will not allow me to enter a capacity greater than 2000kW
In the scenario where your site has greater than 2000kW, you can do one of two things:
- Enter 2000kW within the capacity field, and if your system is say 8000kW, multiple the power output by 4 to achieve the same results. Alternatively;
- You can copy the URL that is offered at the bottom of the Toolkit, and update the parameter where it says 2000, to match your existing system (or if using the API directly, update the capacity to your capacity requirements). So in the scenario above, you would update this parameter to 8000, and you will obtain the same result.