Cloud cover bias correction in numerical weather models for solar energy monitoring and forecasting systems with kernel ridge regression
Files
(Accepted version)
Date
2023
Authors
Deo, R.C.
Ahmed, A.A.M.
Casillas-Pérez, D.
Pourmousavi, S.A.
Segal, G.
Yu, Y.
Salcedo-Sanz, S.
Editors
Advisors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Type:
Journal article
Citation
Renewable Energy, 2023; 203:113-130
Statement of Responsibility
Ravinesh C. Deo, A.A. Masrur Ahmed, David Casillas-Pérez, S. Ali Pourmousavi, Gary Segal, Yanshan Yu, Sancho Salcedo-Sanz
Conference Name
Abstract
Prediction of Total Cloud Cover (TCDC) from numerical weather simulation models, such as Global Forecast System (GFS), can aid renewable energy engineers in monitoring and forecasting solar photovoltaic power generation. A major challenge is the systematic bias in TCDC simulations induced by the errors in the numerical model parameterization stages. Correction of GFS-derived cloud forecasts at multiple time steps can improve energy forecasts in electricity grids to bring better grid stability or certainty in the supply of solar energy. We propose a new kernel ridge regression (KRR) model to reduce bias in TCDC simulations for medium-term prediction at the inter-daily, e.g., 2–8 day-ahead predicted TCDC values. The proposed KRR model is evaluated against multivariate recursive nesting bias correction (MRNBC), a conventional approach and eight machine learning (ML) methods. In terms of the mean absolute error (MAE), the proposed KRR model outperforms MRNBC and ML models at 2–8 day ahead forecasts, with MAE ≈ 20–27%. A notable reduction in the simulated cloud cover mean bias error of 20–50% is achieved against the MRNBC and reference accuracy values generated using proxy-observed and non-corrected GFS-predicted TCDC in the model’s testing phase. The study ascertains that the proposed KRR model can be explored further to operationalize its capabilities, reduce uncertainties in weather simulation models, and its possible consideration for practical use in improving solar monitoring and forecasting systems that utilize cloud cover simulations from numerical weather predictions.
School/Discipline
Dissertation Note
Provenance
Description
Available online 15 December 2022
Access Status
Rights
© 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.