Advancing global solar photovoltaic power forecasting with sub-seasonal climate outlooks

Given the high weather dependency of solar photovoltaic energy, accurate weather information ranging from days to weeks in advance are required for stable plant operation and management. This study emphasizes that sub-seasonal climate outlooks can advance global solar power forecasting. We evaluate the capacity factor (CF) for standard test conditions (CFstc), calculated from atmospheric reanalysis of surface solar irradiance and ambient air temperature, by comparing it with actual CF from two solar plants in Korea. Results confirm CFstc as a reliable estimate of actual CF. Application of this methodology to four-week outlooks from two state-of-the-art sub-seasonal climate forecast systems shows a significant anomaly correlation coefficient (ACC) skill for global solar power forecasting at least one week in advance (5–11 forecast days). Regional ACC skills vary at extended lead times, with South Asia, eastern South America and eastern Australia maintaining ACC > 0.6 for up to two weeks (12–18 forecast days). Notably, useful ACC skill persists for up to four weeks (26–32 forecast days) across 70.9 % of global land areas. These findings suggest that sub-seasonal climate outlooks can provide decision-making information in developing more reliable solar energy strategies, highlighting the importance of transdisciplinary collaboration between renewable energy and meteorological sectors.