SolCast Solar Panel Forecast in GivEnergy Dashboard. How to Setup.

In this video I show you the Solcast solar panel forecast program. How to create a solcast account and link the API to your GivEnergy cloud dashboard. Now you can see solar panel weather predictions for the coming days ahead.
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[@TheSnowwraith]

I can see from a thumbnail on one of your videos that you have 2 solar strings facing in different directions. Solcast says it will allow a home/hobbyist site to have 2 free sites so long as they are close enough to be acknowledged as a single site. *Edited since I found my own answer!* I noticed when adding the Resource ID in the GivEnergy dashboard that there is a + box allowing for multiple string IDs, so I was able to add my 2nd string. Regarding the Efficiency rating on the site setup. This is used to determine the decline of the panels of your array over time. You have 2 options: either enter the installation date of the panels, in which case Solcast automatically reduces the efficiency by 0.5% each year (in which case you set the Efficiency slider to zero), or you don't include a date and manually adjust the Efficiency slide from 100% and deduct 0.5% per year since installation, e.g. after 2 years it will have dropped by 1% to 99%. You'll have to update this each year for it to be more accurate. Very useful video, thank you.

[@daniel_coe]

Great information. Thanks for your comment!

[@bloodynorahvan2203]

Thanks man. Install coming for solar in December. Just what I was looking for. If the battery charged using a machine learning algorithm, that would be next level cooler!!

[@daniel_coe]

It's probably on its way

[@lesterrobinson3169]

Very interesting thanks, I also believe there should be some automation coming soon if not already. In other words the app will do your settings for you and handle the battery charge according to the weather 👍

[@daniel_coe]

Yes, I saw this option greyed out. Could be good!

[@robcole5805]

Thanks for the video, just installed on my dashboard. Appreciate your help.

[@daniel_coe]

Glad it helped.

[@mwiggins11]

Great advice, thank you. Fingers crossed the sun stays out now!

[@daniel_coe]

Fingers crossed!

[@ellas6101]

This is so useful! Thank you , I will check if I can integrate solcast with my solaredge dashboard 👍👍👍

[@daniel_coe]

Glad it was helpful!

[@tarikblal9032]

@ellas6101 please if you do ; can you tell me how ?

[@ellas6101]

@@tarikblal9032 I have just had my panels connected and tomorrow the company is going to talk me through the app etc so I will ask them the question

[@daveprior2829]

Ace thanks for that just set mine up following your guide works a treat 😀 ta

[@daniel_coe]

I'm glad I could help, and it worked for you. It is a useful tool. I just wish it was in the app as well as just on the cloud dashboard

[@deepanshushukla303]

very helpful and concise... i even went a step further and configured a split configuration for my SE and SW facing roof. Is there a step where we can use the combined forcast for split panel setup?

[@daniel_coe]

I would have thought the results in the GivEnergy dashboard would then show you your combined set up? Do they not? I suppose you could always check between the GivEnergy results and the Solcast website results to see if they match?

[@onlinevideos8464]

I don't have the forecast square and its not viewable when I edit dashboard? Edit nvm I saw line break at the bottom of page and assumed it was end of cards lol

[@malcass250]

Hi, When i try to add the solcast to Givenergy i get an error validating credentials any ideas

[@malcolmbennett4325]

Hi I have two strings of solar panels one facing east the other south but Solcast only seems to allow me to enter one set of details, or am I doing something wrong, any suggestions?

[@daniel_coe]

You used to be able to enter 2 sets of details on their website. But I don't know if that has changed now for free users. It might only be a subscription option. As I know, they limited the number of free API calls per day on the free accounts. I have South and East and only set up one set, but afterwards, I played with the values, so they matched what was really coming in. You could play with your values after a few days of data.

[@georgelza]

I have 2 sets of panels, one East and one North, how would I enter them, I'm only seeing one set of panels defined in your video ?

[@daniel_coe]

Yes, I did decide to only enter one set and play with the settings until each day was roughly correct to what actually happened.

[@PaulJones-pp8er]

I have setup and all works thanks. After setup in the Givenergy website, how can i go back and change the number of forecast days i want to look at?

[@daniel_coe]

I'm pretty sure it's fixed for you, so past 3 days, and the next 3 days. Is it showing that?

[@smrfingers]

Could anyone explain the forecast vs estimated generation. The Blue and the Grey figures what the difference

[@daniel_coe]

I believe the grey forecast is literally a guess into the future, so just a forecast. The Blue is what Solcast actually think happened on your system (I believe this overwrites the grey) and the actual yellow is what you got recorded by GivEnergy.

[@markbowyer2147]

Managed to set this for one of my arrays, saved it in Givenergy portal whilst I set the West array up in solcast. I now need to modify the portal solar forecast adding the second array. No apparent way to get back to the setup. Are you using a PC for these setups? I also don't get the pie chart on energy used page.

[@daniel_coe]

Yes, this is all PC browser based.

[@abrooks5584]

I have a similar issue, I can't find how to get back to the setup once saved, did you find a way to do this?

[@markbowyer2147]

@@abrooks5584 I had to delete the solcast api and redo it as one system, then add it again.

[@peterguilliatt]

How do I add or make sure I have the Solar Forecast box on the left side of the GE dashboard? I currently have an AC coupled inverter AC3.0 from GivEnergy.

[@daniel_coe]

I think it's in settings or preferences of the dashboard you can add, remove, and move the cards/boxes around. The option is called 'Edit Your Dashboard' on the left hand side in the navigation area.

[@Sug-1998]

Thanks Daniel. Very useful advice. I set up it on my system does work. An question to ask please, If I change any data on SolCast system and saved, does update information automatically pick up by Givenergy app? or what I have to do?

[@daniel_coe]

Not sure, you may need to remove the givenergy card from the dashboard and add it back in

[@redshift3]

Very helpful video thanks. There is no solar power forecast square on my dashboard. How do I get it?

[@daniel_coe]

There is an option on the left hand side called 'Edit your Dashboard' and you can add and move the dashboard cards/options around.

[@redshift3]

Thanks Daniel, I have got it all working now

[@steve737700]

Thanks fo this, works great. Do you know if there is a way to change the forecast range and history? You set three days either side, I set 5 days either side and now wish I set 3 like you. I can't see an option to change it.

[@daniel_coe]

I guess probably back on the solcast website, unless you can remove your details in the givenergy dashboard and re-add them again

[@wheredoesitgo548]

Have tried to find the Solar Power Forecast card when in 'Edit my Dashboard' but not available - can you help? Only has a poor Weather Forecast card

[@wheredoesitgo548]

Sorry - found the search tool and then found it! Thanks v much

[@daniel_coe]

Great, glad you sorted it out

[@linyarin]

Thanks.

[@daniel_coe]

You're welcome

[@jq001]

How does it deal with panels on a east west split.

[@daniel_coe]

Admittedly I didn't split mine. It would be more accurate if you do. Someone asked the same question on the Solcast website. articles.solcast.com.au/en/articles/2887438-how-do-i-create-a-multiple-azimuth-rooftop-solar-site

[@peterguilliatt]

Thanks for this. I have created two sites, to cover either side of my shed. I've been told it's possible to combine 2 sites into the 1 report on the GE dashboard. How do you edit the SolCast Forecast box, if for instance I've made an error or want to view at something else? I can see the box in the dashboard now, and I can remove/add it at will, but can't seem to find the edit. Deleting the box from the dashboard doesn't seem to clear the data.

[@daniel_coe]

I think you have to go into settings and delete the API key, and re add it. I guess you know how to look at different days etc. Otherwise, I think it's a matter of going to the Solcast website and changing your settings there.

[@peanutsarehairy]

Watched your video and setup a Solcast account to try. For some reason it's estimating reality. 16:30 today it was generating 600w but it said I should be getting 1.4kWh. Did you have this issue or did it appear correct?

[@daniel_coe]

Mine was close, but not perfect. Certainly close, certainly for the day total generated. It could do with some tweaking, but good enough for me to know if it's going to be a really bad day then I can pre-charge the battery a bit the night before.

[@peanutsarehairy]

@@daniel_coe I played about with the efficiency and after putting it to 45% 😆 It's about right. It's totally off what I get in real life. I'm looking at this as I saw someone else comment below that this might be automated so I was checking to see how it looks just now

[@daniel_coe]

The forecasting does change the closer it gets to the day. I wrote down a weeks worth of predictions and then went back and wrote down what I actually got. It seemed to predict under what I got, but I did not do a split roof set up for my South and East panels. So I think you can tinker with it until you get something similar to what you get. (All kWh) Mon (Forecast 27) Actual 22.5 Tue (Forecast 15) Actual 20 Wed (Forecast 20) Actual 21.7 Thu (Forecast 25) Actual 25 Fri (Forecast 35 then 30 then 27) Actual 30 Sat (Forecast 26) Actual 35 Sun (Forecast 29) Actual 32 Mon (Forecast 28) Actual 30 Tue (Forecast 33) Actual 33 Wed (Forecast 33) Actual 34.......

[@peanutsarehairy]

@@daniel_coe Thanks Dan, mine looks to be about rough now. It would be good to have it just deal with this all so you don't have to manually charge the battery. There's a guy that looks to have done it via HA kzbin.info/www/bejne/f3O7oHdsgLqnrs0 I have don't a similar thing where an oil heater comes on in the house when excess power is there

[@daniel_coe]

@@peanutsarehairy it looks like GivEnergy are going to implement this as it's an option in the app already - just greyed out. So it should be smart sometime with SolCast. Also I know they are doing smart plugs soon, so that could be good and something similar to your oil heater set up.