Do I need a paid Solcast account?

A free Developer tier is available which includes access to rooftop PV forecasts.

How far in advance can I get solar forecasts?

You can request PV power output forecasts for up to 14 days ahead.

Can I get data for my specific solar panels?

Yes, you can provide tilt, azimuth, and capacity to get highly accurate forecasts for your specific system configuration.

What is the difference between estimated and measured actuals?

Estimated actuals use model calculations to guess recent production, while measured actuals require a site with active telemetry to provide exact production data.

Which AI clients can I use with this MCP?

You can use this MCP with any compatible client, including Claude, Cursor, and Windsurf.

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.

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Connect Solcast Solar to ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini

Set it up once and it works in ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and any other client you love. It all runs safely in the background, so you can relax and focus on what really matters. Turn your AI client into a professional solar analyst.

Ask AI about this Connector

Developed, maintained, and hosted by Vinkius.

MCP VERIFIED · PRODUCTION READY · VINKIUS GUARANTEED

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Works with modern AI clients that support MCP, including ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and more.

Your AI does the work. We keep it safe and sound.

No other AI tool gives you this. Your workflow runs in the client you already love, your account stays protected, and you decide what the agent can and cannot do. It is the whole reason to make the switch.

Each Connector lives inside our infrastructure, the same place where your workflow runs. The three things below are already part of it, working quietly in the background so you never have to think about them. Nothing to add, nothing to set up, nothing to worry about.

V8 Isolate01

Each Connector runs inside its own sealed environment.

Each Connector runs inside its own sealed V8 runtime — no access to your files, your system, or other servers. A Connector never sees past its own request.

Kill Switch02

One switch stops every agent. Instantly.

One action deactivates every Connector, revokes every token, and ends every session at once. AI Governance keeps the record.

FinOps per User03

Spending limits that pause instead of surprise.

Every user keeps their own connections and credentials, isolated from everyone else. Anything that would cross your spending limit is held for your approval, not billed.

Three controls, built into the layer your AI connects through.

Curated set · 11 capabilities

We ship only the actions that matter.

Capability set01 / 03

01-04

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 11 available through Solcast.

01
Get site forecasts
Provides PV power forecasts for a specific registered rooftop site using its unique ID.
02
Get detailed pv forecast
Generates highly accurate PV power forecasts by applying specific tilt, azimuth, and loss factor parameters.
03
Get historical radiation
Retrieves past solar irradiance data for a specific location and time range, requiring a Pro or Enterprise plan.
04
Get pv power forecasts
Calculates expected rooftop PV power output for any given latitude and longitude.

Capability set02 / 03

05-08

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 11 available through Solcast.

05
Get radiation forecasts
Fetches solar irradiance forecasts including GHI, DNI, and DHI for a specific location.
06
Get simple pv forecast
Produces a fast solar output estimate using only latitude, longitude, and system capacity.
07
Get site estimated actuals
Returns estimated recent PV power production for a registered site.
08
Get site measured actuals
Accesses exact measured production data for registered sites equipped with telemetry.

Capability set03 / 03

09-11

3 capabilities in this set.

Part of 11 available through Solcast.

09
List rooftop sites
Lists all registered rooftop PV sites in your Solcast account, including their IDs and capacities.
10
Get solar summary
Combines irradiance, weather, and PV forecasts into a single data overview for a location.
11
Get weather forecasts
Provides weather data like temperature, cloud opacity, and snow depth to help explain solar output changes.

Real work

What teams actually run

System Sizing

An installer uses the agent to estimate how much energy a specific rooftop will produce before a sale.

EV Charging Optimization

A homeowner asks the agent for tomorrow's solar forecast to schedule electric vehicle charging during peak production.

Model Validation

A researcher pulls historical radiation data to check the accuracy of a new solar model.

Grid Management

A grid operator uses forecasts to prepare for fluctuations in distributed solar generation.

Automate a task

Put Solcast to work on one thing.

Step-by-step automations your AI runs through this Connector: the workflow, the prompts to start with, and the exact capabilities behind each move.

One connector, every AI

Solcast works with the most popular AI clients.

These are the most popular clients, each with a step-by-step guide: one link, set up once, with governance and visibility built in. And because everything runs on the MCP standard, the same connection also works in any other compatible client — nothing to rebuild.

Building your own app? The connector is yours to use.

You don't need a client to put Solcast to work: the same hosted connection plugs into your own applications and agent code, with the same governance on every request. Build with it, chat with it — one connection for both.

Observed, not estimated

1007ms average. Fast in production.

Solcast is checked daily against the live service.

Daily averagePeak 1179ms

Oct 3Today

Fastest day: 805ms
Slowest day: 1179ms
14-day trend: Stable-4%

Connect your client

One URL. Every client.

Activate the Connector, copy your link, and paste it into the client you already use. 11 capabilities arrive ready to run.

Preview access · not provider authentication

The vk_preview_* token belongs to Vinkius preview infrastructure. It lets Claude discover and display the capabilities of Solcast, so you can see the experience inside your AI.

It does not authenticate your account with Solcast. Actions requiring credentials or live account data may not run until you activate the Connector and authorize the service.

Solcast Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_KeGXbsA8e2RVruw9CH3qiPWgxYpHwDunFkLd0yXa/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
3Click Add and start a new chat — Solcast capabilities are ready to use.

Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "solcast-solar-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_KeGXbsA8e2RVruw9CH3qiPWgxYpHwDunFkLd0yXa/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Claude
ChatGPT
Cursor
VS Code
Windsurf
Claude Code
JetBrains
Cline

Step-by-step instructions for each client are in the guide. How to connect

Guided setup for Claude? Set up Solcast in Claude and other AIs

See all the AI clients this connector works with ↑

Who it's for

Built for the work Solcast owners hand off.

This MCP is built for professionals managing or analyzing solar energy assets.

01
Solar Installers
Use the agent to generate accurate production estimates for client system sizing.
02
Energy Traders
Feed solar forecasts into trading models and dispatch planning.
03
Grid Operators
Track distributed generation forecasts to maintain grid balance.
04
Homeowners
Monitor expected rooftop output to manage energy usage and EV charging.

FAQ

Questions Solcast owners ask.

01
Do I need a paid Solcast account?
A free Developer tier is available which includes access to rooftop PV forecasts.
02
How far in advance can I get solar forecasts?
You can request PV power output forecasts for up to 14 days ahead.
03
Can I get data for my specific solar panels?
Yes, you can provide tilt, azimuth, and capacity to get highly accurate forecasts for your specific system configuration.
04
What is the difference between estimated and measured actuals?
Estimated actuals use model calculations to guess recent production, while measured actuals require a site with active telemetry to provide exact production data.
05
Which AI clients can I use with this MCP?
You can use this MCP with any compatible client, including Claude, Cursor, and Windsurf.
06
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.
07
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.
08
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.
09
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.

Explore

More in The Unthinkable

Connect Solcast to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT & more

Your AI does the work. We keep it safe and sound.

Each Connector runs inside its own sealed environment.

One switch stops every agent. Instantly.

Spending limits that pause instead of surprise.

We ship only the actions that matter.

01-04

Get site forecasts

Get detailed pv forecast

Get historical radiation

Get pv power forecasts

05-08

Get radiation forecasts

Get simple pv forecast

Get site estimated actuals

Get site measured actuals

09-11

List rooftop sites

Get solar summary

Get weather forecasts

What teams actually run

System Sizing

EV Charging Optimization

Model Validation

Grid Management

Building your own app? The connector is yours to use.

Solcast Connector

Claude Desktop

Solar Installers

Energy Traders

Grid Operators

Homeowners

Do I need a paid Solcast account?

How far in advance can I get solar forecasts?

Can I get data for my specific solar panels?

What is the difference between estimated and measured actuals?

Which AI clients can I use with this MCP?

What parameters do I need to get a rooftop PV forecast?

How far ahead can Solcast forecast solar power?

How do I get a Solcast API key and what does the free tier include?

What is the difference between GHI, DNI, and DHI?

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