Scientific publications

CalibSun is a spin-off of Solaïs, a solar engineering consulting firm with over 18 years of expertise in the photovoltaic sector, which allows us to have invaluable practical knowledge of PV financing, development and operations.

Written by: Pitaval, Sébastien & Wald, Lucien & Ghionda, Florian & Giudicissi, Alexis & Carrière, Thomas & Yezeguelian, Loïc & Boilley, Alexandre

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.

Filter by

Written by: Thomas Carrière, Christophe Vernay, Sébastien Pitaval, François-Pascal Neirac, Georges Kariniotakis

The Sizing of a PV/Battery System Through Stochastic Control and Aggregation of Installations

This research demonstrates how to decrease the required physical battery capacity (BESS) for market-integrated solar plants while keeping the same output quality. This is achieved using stochastic control algorithms and virtual portfolio aggregation.

Written by: Thomas Carrière, Christophe Vernay, Sébastien Pitaval, François-Pascal Neirac, Georges Kariniotakis

Strategies for the Combined Operation of PV/Storage Systems Integrated into Electricity Markets

This paper evaluates stochastic optimization and predictive models to safely integrate energy storage coupled with solar assets into commercial power grids, prioritizing system lifespan alongside revenue generation.

Written by: Ana M. Realpe, Christophe Vernay, Sébastien Pitaval, Camille Lenoir, Philippe Blanc

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.

Written by: Christophe Vernay, Sébastien Pitaval, Philippe Blanc

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

Written by: Christophe Vernay, Philippe Blanc, Sébastien Pitaval

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.

Written by: Christophe Vernay, Sébastien Pitaval, Philippe Blanc

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.

Scientific partners

Our authors

CalibSun was created in 2023 by Nicolas Thévenin and Sébastien Pitaval, the founders of Solaïs, a company that has been an expert in photovoltaics for more than 18 years and a world leader in glare studies.

Our resources

Solar & data expertise

Deep-dive our specific know-hows on photovoltaic, solar resource and data science and how they enhance our services. 

Sensor Consulting
We help you get the best out of your sensors, from pre-construction design to day-to-day operation of your PV plant.
Discover more
Solar Expertise
Discover how decades of meteorological science and academic research shape our unique approach to solar data.
Discover more
Data Science
Dive into the technology behind our data expertise, from data security to AI-driven forecasting.
Discover more
Sensor consulting
We help you get the best out of your sensors, from pre-construction design to day-to-day operation of your PV plant.
Discover more
Solar expertise
Pyranometers audit & Calibration
Discover how decades of meteorological science and academic research shape our unique approach to solar data.
Discover more
Data Science
Pyranometers audit & Calibration
Dive into the technology behind our data expertise, from data security to AI-driven forecasting.
Discover more

Need more information?
Get in touch!

This website uses cookies

We use cookies to personalize content, provide social media features, and analyze our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our analytics partners. You can change your preferences at any time. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. Cookie Policy