Solcast Global Solar Power Forecast Integration

wattmatters · October 16, 2021, 6:54am

Hi, I recently installed HA on a RPi4, it’s my first use of such a system, and I’m at the wrong end of the learning curve.

I’d like some help in understanding how to install this integration. I’m familiar with Solcast and have had a free account with them ever since they started.

I have two solar PV systems, a small off-grid system and a larger grid tied system.

After much groaning and gnashing of teeth I finally managed yesterday to get my grid-tied Fronius inverter integrated into the HA Energy page. In stark contrast my off-grid system was super easy to integrate as the Solar Assistant system I have operating with my off-grid system comes with a MQTT HA discovery built in.

The Github page linked above tells me to install Solcast into HA and then to enter in Solacast API and system ID but I can’t see Solcast in the HA integrations listing:

Sorry for the silly question but how does one install this integration into HA?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Assuming I can learn the process, my follow up question will be about combining the forecast for two PV arrays (two arrays with different orientations on my grid tied system).

Thanks to all those making all these cool features!

HasQT · October 16, 2021, 8:41am

Its installed via HACS, then it will show up in integrations.

wattmatters · October 16, 2021, 10:23am

OK thanks. Seems to involve a series of hurdles I don’t know how to jump.

HasQT · October 16, 2021, 1:19pm

It’s probably worth trying to get your head around HACs. It has some nice custom lovelace cards, amoung other things.

The instructions are reasonably clear. You need to make a github account and need one of the terminal/ssh add-ons. Then follow the instructions from the earlier link. There should be some recent youtube videos to follow along with too.

Alternatively there is a direct yaml you can use instead. Towards the end of this thread

wattmatters · October 17, 2021, 4:04am

Thanks. Lovelace is the web based interface I use to interact with HA, right?

I have a terminal application inside my HA system, the one that comes with the system. When I open my terminal inside HA this is what I see:

If I type the small light grey box (in the large black area to the right of where it says “Node-RED”) moves to the right but no text appears on the screen. I’ve no idea what it’s meant to do but it doesn’t seem to do anything other than move a grey box about a bit.

The warning on that linked page suggested I not proceed unless…

#1 I have Home Assistant 2021.10.1

#2 I can presumably get a GitHub account

#3 I can only assume I do. I set it up using the HA home page instructions onto a Raspberry Pi 4.

#4 I don’t know what the question is asking.
I have a file editor tool in my HA and know where the yaml files are and can modify those if that’s what they mean.

#5 That I’m not clear on as there seems to be different logs.
In HA / Supervisor / System there is a log.
In HA / Configuration / Logs there is another log.

#6 LOL. I’m on Australian NBN fixed wireless. Not fast but reasonably stable, no idea how much data they are talking about.

Then after that it goes to the download page:

I assume those instructions mean I type
wget -O - https://get.hacs.xyz | bash -
into the terminal.

But not sure how as my terminal does not show anything when I type.

This is what I mean by hurdles.

HasQT · October 17, 2021, 5:00am

you answered 1. presumably by looking on the supervisor/system page. On that page you would see unsupported install in the supervisor section if it was an unsupported install method. Which would be the answer to 3.

pretty much.
Yeah those logs. Either or both. 4 and 5 are basically your comfort level.
Is basically checking to make sure you are not going to blow out a data cap, by downloading stuff.

As to the terminal… You would have had to install that in addons. Nothing comes installed at the beginning. So you have done that at some stage.
The cursor in terminal looks to be in the right spot. Not sure why you have no text though.
Try going to supervisor/addons/ssh & web terminal and using the “open web ui” button there. Restart the addon if that doesn’t help.

Or just use the yaml stuff from the other link.

yes HACS can get things like custom button card for the web ui

wattmatters · October 17, 2021, 10:04am

Thanks, I tried that but no luck. I think I must have installed the terminal app after watching an intro to HA video which suggested installing it.

However - I just tried with a different browser (Chrome) and I see this (I blanked out some info but you get the idea):

In Safari all I get is the blank screen. Weird. I’d rather not use Chrome unless I really have to but at least seeing that on screen makes some sense and the text I type is visible!

I think I have ~1TB/month data allowance but reality is our speeds are pretty ordinary at times so its not usually at threat.

HasQT · October 17, 2021, 11:31am

Ahh no idea why safari would be broken.
The chrome screen is normal. If you were so inclined that’s where the terminal command goes…

wattmatters · October 18, 2021, 12:03am

Me either. It’s stuff like this that throws a newb like me, and it takes a random and unrelated test of something else to find a solution.

Thanks. I will have a go once I go through the documents again to feel like I’m sufficiently comfortable with the process to proceed.

wattmatters · October 18, 2021, 12:28am

I have HACS installed now, it’s going through an initial start up phase which takes over an hour according to the documentation. Will check in later with progress on that and hopefully also with Solcast.

wattmatters · October 18, 2021, 4:44am

OK, where do I find the Solcast integration in HACS? it doesn’t appear in the HACS integration listing:

HasQT · October 18, 2021, 5:53am

https://github.com/oziee/ha-solcast-solar

3 dots top right add repository.

Once it’s installed there… You can add via the configuration/integrations page

wattmatters · October 18, 2021, 8:51pm

OK so last night I added it all and applied my Solcast API key and system resource ID and then chose to include a forecast option to my HA Energy page solar system set up.

The Solcast forecast option appears and is ticked:

Nothing appeared in my Energy page but I figured it might need some time to click into gear. But I still see nothing today.

Where should I expect to see the Solcast data appear?

The log shows these messages which don’t mean much to me other than something likely isn’t right:

HasQT · October 20, 2021, 11:13am

Ozzie was looking into that. Not sure when/if he will get to it though.

I was going to suggest picking up an older version, but he seems to have removed those.

wattmatters · October 20, 2021, 11:29am

Thanks. I asked on the GitHub page and someone suggested doing a reinstall a short while ago. Once I worked out how to do that I now have the forecast appearing on my Energy page!

Which now leads me to my next question - I want to combine two forecasts as my system’s arrays have two orientations.

Any ideas on how to do that?

(Solcast doesn’t provide for split orientation arrays - you need to create separate forecasts).

HasQT · October 20, 2021, 11:45am

I haven’t personally tried split arrays, even thou I have split arrays. I just shifted my azimuth manually to be vaguely proportional to my larger north array versus my smaller east array. That actually gets pretty close to my actual production.

I suppose in theory… You could break out your arrays if your inverter data allows and have two separate sensors on the energy panel along with two forecasts…

wattmatters · October 20, 2021, 8:30pm

A weighted average azimuth like that is kind of what I used to do and will probably revert to that approach.

It’s not like I’m running a solar farm, it’s more of a general indicator of what to expect over the next hours and days.

Thanks.

wattmatters · October 21, 2021, 2:48am

Aaaannnd now it’s broken again with same error messages as before.

HasQT · October 21, 2021, 5:00am

yeah its abit picky atm. try a restart. or pop in the yaml

rest:
 - resource: https://api.solcast.com.au/rooftop_sites/YOUR ID KEY/forecasts?format=json&api_key=YOUR API KEY&hours=72
   scan_interval: '00:30:00' # RATE LIMIT!
   sensor:
   - name: "Solcast Forecast Data"
     force_update: true
     value_template: "{{ value_json.forecasts[0].pv_estimate|round(2) }}"
     json_attributes:
     - forecasts
   - name: "Solcast Forecast 10"
     force_update: true
     value_template: "{{ value_json.forecasts[0].pv_estimate10|round(2) }}"
   - name: "Solcast Forecast 90"
     force_update: true
     value_template: "{{ value_json.forecasts[0].pv_estimate90|round(2) }}"

There may be a better version in one of the other solcast threads. I can’t remember if this one allows you to add it to forecast.

wattmatters · October 23, 2021, 1:29am

Forecast seems to pop in and out of existence, like some quantum fluctuation

I saw it briefly yesterday, then it was gone again. Now today it’s back. Forecast is showing out for some days plus historical as well:

I haven’t touched anything. Just seems to have come to life. At least for now.