# Solcast Solar MCP for AI Agents AI Agent Connect > Solcast Solar MCP. Get high-resolution solar forecasts, rooftop PV power estimates, and real-time irradiance data. Use it to predict energy production for any location with specific system parameters or quick estimates. It connects your AI agent to global satellite cloud tracking and weather data for accurate solar analysis. ## Overview - **Category:** the-unthinkable - **Price:** Free - **Endpoint:** https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_KeGXbsA8e2RVruw9CH3qiPWgxYpHwDunFkLd0yXa/ai-agent-connect - **Tags:** solar-forecasting, irradiance-data, pv-power, satellite-data, renewable-energy, api-integration ## Description Imagine you're trying to tell a customer exactly how much power their new roof will generate in three years. Right now, that involves digging through old spreadsheets, guessing at local weather patterns, and making a lot of assumptions about cloud cover. This Connector changes that by plugging high-resolution forecasting intelligence directly into your workflow. Instead of guessing, you can ask your agent for a 14-day power forecast that accounts for specific tilt, azimuth, and capacity. It pulls from satellite cloud tracking and real-time weather data to give you a realistic picture of what's coming. Whether you're a solar installer sizing a new system, a grid operator balancing the load, or a homeowner trying to figure out the best time to charge an EV, this connector handles the heavy lifting of data retrieval. You'll get GHI, DNI, and DHI data, along with air temperature and snow depth, all in one go. It's a much more reliable way to move from rough estimates to informed decisions. You can even pull historical radiation data to prove your models actually work. By using this through the Vinkius catalog, you get a direct line to high-quality solar data without having to build out complex custom integrations yourself. ## Tools ### get_detailed_pv_forecast Get a precise power forecast using exact system specs like tilt, azimuth, and loss factor. This is useful for high-accuracy project planning. ### get_historical_radiation Retrieve past solar irradiance data for a specific location. Use this to validate your solar models against real-world history. ### get_pv_power_forecasts Get a standard PV power forecast based on latitude, longitude, and system capacity. It's great for quick regional estimates. ### get_radiation_forecasts Access GHI, DNI, and DHI forecasts for solar resource assessment. Use this to see how much sunlight a location will get. ### get_simple_pv_forecast Get a fast solar output estimate using only location and capacity. This works best when you don't have specific system angles. ### get_site_estimated_actuals See what a specific registered site likely produced over a recent period. It helps you track performance without live telemetry. ### get_site_forecasts Get a power forecast for a registered site using its saved configuration parameters. This makes querying known systems much faster. ### get_solar_summary Get a complete overview of irradiance, weather, and PV data for a single location. It provides a full picture of solar resources. ### get_weather_forecasts Get air temperature, cloud opacity, and snow depth data for a specific area. This helps you understand weather impacts on production. ### list_rooftop_sites View all registered solar sites in your account. This helps you manage multiple installations from a single dashboard. ### get_site_measured_actuals Pull exact measured production data from sites with telemetry integrations. Use this to see the real numbers from your hardware. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` What's the solar forecast for my 5kW system in Sydney at -33.87, 151.21? ``` **Response:** ``` Fetching PV power forecasts... Your 5kW system in Sydney is forecast to generate approximately 18-22kWh today. Peak production will be between 11am-2pm with output reaching 3.8-4.2kW. Cloud cover is expected mid-afternoon, reducing output to ~2kW between 3-5pm. Tomorrow looks sunnier with estimated 24kWh total. ``` **Prompt:** ``` Show me the solar irradiance (GHI and DNI) forecast for my location at 34.05, -118.24. ``` **Response:** ``` Retrieving radiation forecasts... Los Angeles area (34.05, -118.24) shows strong solar irradiance today. Peak GHI reaches 850-920 W/m² around solar noon (12:30pm). DNI peaks at 780-850 W/m² under clear skies. Cloud opacity is low (10-15%) until late afternoon when increasing clouds may reduce DNI by 30-40%. Excellent conditions for solar generation. ``` **Prompt:** ``` How much solar energy will a 10kW system with south-facing panels (azimuth 180°, tilt 30°) generate tomorrow at latitude -37.81, longitude 144.96? ``` **Response:** ``` Getting detailed PV forecast... Your 10kW south-facing system in Melbourne (-37.81, 144.96) with 30° tilt is forecast to generate approximately 32-38kWh tomorrow. South orientation reduces output vs optimal north-facing in southern hemisphere. Peak output will be 5.5-6.5kW around 12-1pm. Morning and afternoon production will be moderate due to suboptimal azimuth. Daily total is about 15-20% lower than optimal north-facing configuration. ``` ## Capabilities ### Predict rooftop PV power output Get power production estimates in kW for any rooftop system for up to 14 days ahead. ### Access high-resolution irradiance Get GHI, DNI, and DHI data for precise solar resource assessments. ### Fetch historical radiation Retrieve past solar irradiance values to validate your models and analysis. ### Track weather conditions Get air temperature, cloud opacity, and snow depth data affecting solar production. ### Manage solar sites List and manage all your registered rooftop PV installations in one place. ### Calculate estimated actuals See what a specific registered site likely produced over a recent period. ### Pull measured production Get exact production data from sites with active telemetry integrations. ## Use Cases ### Sizing a new residential install An installer asks for a 10kW system estimate in Sydney with a 30-degree tilt to show a homeowner the expected 14-day yield using get_detailed_pv_forecast. ### Validating a new solar model A researcher pulls get_historical_radiation for a specific city to see if their new algorithm matches real-world data from last year. ### Balancing the local grid A grid operator asks for get_pv_power_forecasts across several regions to predict how much solar power will hit the lines by noon. ### Managing a commercial portfolio A site manager uses list_rooftop_sites to find the IDs for ten different warehouses and then checks their get_site_estimated_actuals. ## Benefits - Stop guessing production numbers by using get_detailed_pv_forecast to provide clients with accurate, spec-specific energy estimates. - Validate your solar models with historical data using get_historical_radiation instead of relying on outdated averages. - Manage multiple projects from one place by using list_rooftop_sites to quickly identify and query different installations. - Plan for grid stability by pulling get_pv_power_forecasts to see how distributed solar generation will impact the local load. - Optimize EV charging schedules by using get_weather_forecasts to see when cloud cover will drop your solar output. - Get a complete picture of solar resources instantly with get_solar_summary to see irradiance and weather in one view. ## How It Works The bottom line is you get accurate solar forecasting and data without the manual research. 1. Connect your API key to the Connector via your preferred AI client. 2. Describe the location and system specs like tilt or capacity to your agent. 3. Get a detailed power forecast or a summary of local solar resources. ## Frequently Asked Questions **Can the Solcast Solar MCP predict my home solar output?** Yes, it provides detailed forecasts for rooftop systems. You can give your agent your system's capacity and tilt to get a realistic estimate of how many kilowatt-hours you'll produce over the next 14 days. **Does Solcast Solar MCP include weather data?** It does. The Connector pulls in air temperature, cloud opacity, and snow depth. This helps you understand exactly how weather conditions will impact your solar generation for the day. **Can Solcast Solar MCP help with commercial solar projects?** Definitely. It's used by solar installers to size commercial systems and by grid operators to forecast distributed solar generation across entire regions. **Is there a way to see my actual solar production with this Connector?** If you have a site with telemetry enabled, you can use the Connector to pull your exact measured production data. For sites without telemetry, it can provide estimated actuals based on your system's configuration. **Can Solcast Solar MCP help with EV charging?** Yes. You can use it to check for upcoming cloud cover and solar irradiance. This allows you to plan your EV charging for the times when your solar panels are producing the most power. **Does Solcast Solar MCP provide historical data?** Yes, it can retrieve historical solar irradiance for specific locations. This is perfect for researchers who need to validate their solar models against real-world past data. **What parameters do I need to get a rooftop PV forecast?** At minimum, you need: **latitude**, **longitude**, and **system capacity (kW)**. For more accurate forecasts, also provide **tilt** (panel angle 0-90°), **azimuth** (panel direction 0°=north, 180°=south), and **loss_factor** (system efficiency 0-1, default ~0.9). If you don't know tilt/azimuth, Solcast will auto-estimate reasonable defaults based on your location. **How far ahead can Solcast forecast solar power?** Solcast provides forecasts from the present time up to **14 days ahead** (336 hours). Short-term forecasts (next 24-48 hours) are the most accurate, with accuracy gradually decreasing for longer horizons. Forecast data is available in 5-minute, 10-minute, 15-minute, 30-minute, or 60-minute intervals depending on your plan tier. **How do I get a Solcast API key and what does the free tier include?** Visit https://solcast.com/ and sign up for a free Developer API account. The free tier includes rooftop PV power forecasts with limited daily API calls. For production use with higher call volumes, historical data access, and advanced features, upgrade to Pro or Enterprise plans. Register at https://solcast.com/ to get your API key instantly. **What is the difference between GHI, DNI, and DHI?** **GHI (Global Horizontal Irradiance)** is the total solar radiation received on a horizontal surface. **DNI (Direct Normal Irradiance)** is the direct beam radiation received on a surface perpendicular to the sun. **DHI (Diffuse Horizontal Irradiance)** is the scattered radiation from the sky (not direct sunlight). GHI = DNI × cos(zenith angle) + DHI. For flat panels, GHI is most relevant. For tracking systems, DNI matters more. Cloudy conditions increase DHI proportion.