Add support for user horizon in Forecast.solar integration

Feature Requests
1

Forecast.solar uses the PVGIS backend for solar irradiation. This platform can incorporate a user-provided horizon which can be used to define shadow casted PV modules by nearby objects. This is relevant for computing good forecasts. The Forecast.solar api supports this.

Please provide a means to configure a user horizon in the Forecast.solar integration.

I noticed that this has already begun but put on hold: https://github.com/home-assistant/core/pull/78326

Please finish this approach.

Please.

Sincerly
Micha

2

Would love to see the “horizon” feature implemented.

It will improve your data a lot if the sun reaches your solar panales only within specific azimuths. This is often the case for solar panales on a balcony.

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3

I have the same usecase on a balkony, some trees, other houses and because I have solar pannels to 2 of the 3 possible directions I have shadows from the house itself which creates inaccurate forecast results for one of my modules. The damping factor for the morning/evening is not good enought to compensate that. I don’t really see it as a problem, to have a comma separated list as an parameter as long as 0 is also accepted as default value.

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4

I would also love this feature. As an alternative there could be an option to manually tweak the api call and append whatever you want.

5

You can always use the REST API to make your own direct API calls to Forecase.solar :wink:

6

Sure, I did this for testing purpose. But I guess I have to somehow a) aggregate the data and b) integrate it into the energy dashboard? Is this easily possible by setting up a special kind of sensor or so?

7

I would be happy if this would get impl with plain text input for now.

To make it more user friendly maybe this services could get used:
JRC Photovoltaic Geographical Information System (PVGIS) - European Commission (https://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/api/v5_2/printhorizon?lat={LAT}&lon={LNG}&outputformat=json)

8

There is also a special tool for Austria to get more precise values: Sonnenstandsanalyse Ă–sterreich - Datensatz - data.gv.at

9

I would also love this feature see implemented. It will probably bring more useful data to most PV owners in city area’s than the dampening feature?
It may make it difficult because you have to fill in 12 numbers for each 30degrees on the compass, but if you default these to twelve zero’s and only have an advanced option with 12 inputs, labeling something like:

Blocking height entered in 30 degree cakepies on a compass:
[xx] 0-30 degrees on compass
[xx[ 30-60 degrees on compass
[xx] 60-90degrees on compass
…

That would really be helpful in tuning the actual solar forecast for us city people with other buildings blocking part of the horizon for the PV installation.