- Calibsun | Scientific publications
Scientific publications
CalibSun is a spin-off of Solais, a solar engineering consulting firm with over 15 years of expertise in the photovoltaic sector, which allows us to have an invaluable practical knowledge of PV financing, development and operations.
- Forecasting
- 2025
On the optimal selection of meteorological variables as inputs to machine learning models for solar irradiance forecasting
Variables output from numerical weather models are essential and widely used as inputs to machine learning models for forecasting the solar irradiance available at ground level. This abundance of data necessitates an effective optimization strategy to identify the most relevant features and eliminate those with limited impact in order to reduce computational resources.
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- Forecasting
- 2014
Review of Satellite-based Surface Solar Irradiation Databases for the Engineering, the Financing and the Operating of Photovoltaic Systems
This paper reviews the performance of primary satellite databases, highlighting both their value and their physical limitations across the engineering, investment, and operational phases of solar assets
- Forecasting
- 2019
An Integrated Approach for Value-Driven Energy Forecasting and Data-Informed Decision-Making: Application to Renewable Energy Trading
Rather than using a two-step approach (forecasting first, then optimizing dispatch), this paper unifies the forecasting and decision-making steps into a single function. The entire predictive engine is optimized to maximize market revenue.
- Forecasting
- 2022
Cleaning Operations Planning Induced by Monitoring and Modelling of Soiling on Photovoltaic Modules
Dust and soiling degrade the yields of desert-based or industrial solar plants. The authors propose a method to calibrate DustIQ optical sensor measurements across multiple sites. They introduce a decision-making algorithm that uses weather forecasts to schedule module cleanings when they are most cost-effective.
- Forecasting
- 2022
Towards a New Approach for Practical Economic Performance Evaluation of a Non-Grid Connected Hybrid Energy System Without Storage with Integrated Solar Forecasting
For remote, off-grid systems (such as mine sites), using energy storage systems (BESS) increases capital costs. This work presents a Power Management System (PMS) that leverages highly precise, short-term solar forecasts to operate PV/diesel hybrid configurations without storage. It introduces an operational cost-based metric that replaces traditional metrics like RMSE or MAE.
- Solar resource assessment
- 2016
Benchmarking of five typical meteorological year datasets dedicated to concentrated-PV systems
Comparing various TMY methodologies over an 18-year period using high-quality ground measurements. It defines the ideal dataset generation approach for Concentrating Photovoltaic (CPV) installations, which are highly sensitive to Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) deviations.
- Solar resource assessment
- 2012
Calibration of Long-Term Estimated Global Horizontal Irradiation by HelioClim-3 Using Short-Term Local Measurement Campaigns: Extending the Results to European and African Sites
This publication expands local calibration algorithms tested in Southern France to European and African sites, establishing ground calibration as a standard practice for reducing financial risk.
- Solar resource assessment
- 2013
Characterization of Measurement Campaigns for an Innovative Approach to Calibrating the Estimated Global Horizontal Irradiation Provided by HelioClim-3
This work evaluates calibration performance variations across multiple sites, offering a systematic way to adapt database estimations based on short-term on-site ground measurement campaigns.
- Solar resource assessment
- 2021
Characterization of Convergence and Robustness of the Kernel Density Mapping Method for Site Adaptation of Global Horizontal Irradiation in Western Europe
Focuses on adjusting historical satellite databases (Solargis, HelioClim-3, CAMS Radiation) with on-site pyranometric measurements. By using a Kernel Density Mapping (KDM) algorithm, the systemic biases of satellite databases are reduced from ±3% to 0.5%, increasing financing accuracy.
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Our authors
CalibSun was created in 2023 by Sébastien Pitaval and Nicolas Thévenin, the founders of Solaïs, a company that has been an expert in photovoltaics for more than 15 years and a leader in glare studies allowing .
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Solar & data expertise
Deep-dive our specific know-hows on photovoltaic, solar resource and data science and how they enhance our services.
