Precise Solar Forecasts for a Stable Energy Supply

The Swiss Federal Electricity Commission (Elcom) has tightened the reins: energy providers who disrupt the balance of electricity production and consumption now face sanctions.

SN Energie, an innovative pioneer in expanding sustainable energy sources, relies on solutions from Meteotest. Thanks to a customized implementation based on the powerful Meteonorm Forecast API, SN Energie utilizes precise solar forecasts aggregated for its supply area. These forecasts are continuously optimized by a machine learning algorithm that incorporates ongoing production data. Based on these forecasts, SN Energie knows the solar production for the next 72 hours within its balancing group with high precision.

Meteotest's solution offers SN Energie several advantages: it ensures compliance with Elcom's requirements, supports more informed decisions in the electricity market, and promotes grid stability as well as the efficiency of renewable energy production.

With the progression of the energy transition, accurate solar forecasts are becoming increasingly vital. Meteotest optimized their forecasting product to our specific needs, which allowed for seamless integration into our processes. They provide us with a valuable and reliable forecast for solar production within our balancing group.

Andreas Vögeli - Head of Trading SN Energie

The integration of renewable energies challenges utilities to manage fluctuating production. Highly accurate solar forecasts are therefore essential to:

• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements: Elcom demands that energy providers guarantee the balance between generation and consumption at all times. Precise forecasts help minimize deviations, thus avoiding potential sanctions.
• Reduce operating costs: Better predictability of solar power production can minimize the purchase of expensive balancing energy. Increased predictability also lowers cost risks in the electricity market.
• Promote grid stability: Reliable forecasts enable proactive control of consumers and energy storage systems, significantly contributing to the stability of the entire power grid.

The successful partnership with SN Energie exemplifies how precise weather data and software solutions from Meteotest support utilities not only in meeting the challenges of the modern energy market but also in leveraging them as opportunities.