iotools.rst

.. py:module:: pvlib.iotools

.. currentmodule:: pvlib

IO Tools

Functions for retrieving, reading, and writing data from a variety of sources and file formats relevant to solar energy modeling. See also :ref:`weatherdata`.

Currently supported APIs

• Gridded solar resource data
  • Public datasets
    • PVGIS
    • CAMS
    • NSRDB
  • Commercial datasets
    • SolarAnywhere
    • Solcast
    • Solargis
• Ground station solar data
  • BSRN
  • SOLRAD
  • SURFRAD
  • MIDC
  • SRML
• Weather data
  • ACIS
  • CRN
• Generic data file readers

Gridded solar resource data

Modeled irradiance and meteorological data, available for large regions of the world.

Public datasets

These APIs are free to access, although some require registration.

PVGIS

Multiple gridded irradiance datasets and weather data with global coverage.

.. autosummary::
   :toctree: generated/

   iotools.get_pvgis_tmy
   iotools.read_pvgis_tmy
   iotools.get_pvgis_hourly
   iotools.read_pvgis_hourly
   iotools.get_pvgis_horizon

CAMS

Satellite-derived irradiance data for Europe, Africa, and Asia, and clear-sky irradiance globally.

.. autosummary::
   :toctree: generated/

   iotools.get_cams
   iotools.read_cams
   iotools.parse_cams

NSRDB

Satellite-derived irradiance and weather data for the Americas.

.. autosummary::
   :toctree: generated/

   iotools.get_nsrdb_psm4_aggregated
   iotools.get_nsrdb_psm4_tmy
   iotools.get_nsrdb_psm4_conus
   iotools.get_nsrdb_psm4_full_disc
   iotools.read_nsrdb_psm4
   iotools.get_psm3
   iotools.read_psm3
   iotools.parse_psm3

Commercial datasets

Accessing these APIs typically requires payment. Datasets provide near-global coverage.

SolarAnywhere

.. autosummary::
   :toctree: generated/

   iotools.get_solaranywhere
   iotools.read_solaranywhere

Solcast

.. autosummary::
   :toctree: generated/

   iotools.get_solcast_tmy
   iotools.get_solcast_historic
   iotools.get_solcast_forecast
   iotools.get_solcast_live

Solargis

.. autosummary::
   :toctree: generated/

   iotools.get_solargis

Ground station solar data

Measurements from various networks of ground stations focusing on solar irradiance.

BSRN

A global network dedicated to high-quality monitoring of solar and long-wave radiation.

.. autosummary::
   :toctree: generated/

   iotools.get_bsrn
   iotools.read_bsrn
   iotools.parse_bsrn

SOLRAD

A solar radiation network in the USA, run by NOAA.

.. autosummary::
   :toctree: generated/

   iotools.read_solrad
   iotools.get_solrad

SURFRAD

A solar radiation network in the USA, run by NOAA.

.. autosummary::
   :toctree: generated/

   iotools.read_surfrad

MIDC

A solar radiation network in the USA, run by NREL.

.. autosummary::
   :toctree: generated/

   iotools.read_midc
   iotools.read_midc_raw_data_from_nrel

SRML

A solar radiation network in the northwestern USA, run by the University of Oregon.

.. autosummary::
   :toctree: generated/

   iotools.read_srml
   iotools.get_srml

Weather data

Meteorological data from a variety of modeled and measured datasets.

ACIS

A combination of many meteorological datasets providing temperature, precipitation, wind speed, and other weather measurements.

.. autosummary::
   :toctree: generated/

   iotools.get_acis_prism
   iotools.get_acis_nrcc
   iotools.get_acis_mpe
   iotools.get_acis_station_data
   iotools.get_acis_available_stations

CRN

A network of ground stations from NOAA. Irradiance measurements are of lower quality.

.. autosummary::
   :toctree: generated/

   iotools.read_crn

Generic data file readers

Functions for reading irradiance/weather data files.

.. autosummary::
   :toctree: generated/

   iotools.read_tmy2
   iotools.read_tmy3
   iotools.read_epw
   iotools.parse_epw
   iotools.read_panond

A :py:class:`~pvlib.location.Location` object may be created from metadata in some files.

.. autosummary::
   :toctree: generated/

   location.Location.from_tmy
   location.Location.from_epw