Nowcasting of downward surface shortwave flux over Slovenia by utilizing LSA SAF satellite products

The downward surface shortwave flux (DSSF) of the Satellite Application Facility on Land Surface Analysis (LSA SAF) is part of a MSG total and diffuse downward surface shortwave flux (MDSSFTD) product.  This product serves primarily to advance the understanding of climate processes, plant photosynthesis, and the carbon cycle. Additionally, it holds significant potential in the energy sector, notably for applications within solar energy technology.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
In this context, the utilization of DSSF data is examined within a nowcasting (NWC) system. This system, now operational at the Slovenian Environmental Agency, will be detailed, encompassing its components and underlying assumptions. Additionally several core properties of the LSA SAF DSSF product will be explained. The DSSF product must be treated carefully in an NWC system. In particular, the significant systematic differences of DSSF lead to a neural-network based bias correction algorithm. Such nowcasted product is useful up to about an hour, according to the weather situation. To increase the performance of such DSSF forecasts, we blend NWC with the local NWP product (ALADIN RUC 1.3 km).

 
This NWC system has a good potential to become a support service for several external local solar energy providers and traders.