# US 11,451,191 B1 · Systems and methods for solar forecasting > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,451,191 B1 - Document ID: US11451191B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/344,706 - Filed: 2021-06-10 - Published: 2022-09-29 - Granted: 2022-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 2021-03-23 - Assignees: 8Me Nova, LLC - Applicants: 8me Nova, LLC - Inventors: Lukas Mercer Hansen; Gautham Ramesh - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11451191B1 ## CPC - H02S 50/00: Monitoring or testing of PV systems, e.g. load balancing or fault identification - H02J 3/004: {Generation forecast, e.g. methods or systems for forecasting future energy generation} - H02J 3/381: {Dispersed generators} - H02J 13/10: characterised by displaying of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition [SCADA] systems - H02J 2101/24: Photovoltaics - H02J 2101/25: {involving maximum power point tracking control for photovoltaic sources} - Y02E 40/70: Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector - Y04S 10/123: the energy generation units being or involving renewable energy sources - Y04S 10/40: Display of information, e.g. of data or controls - Y04S 10/50: Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications - H02S: GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES (obtaining electrical energy from radioactive sources G21H1/12; light sensitive inorganic semiconductor devices H10F; light sensitive organic semiconductor devices H10K30/00; thermoelectric devices H10N10/00; pyroelectric devices H10N15/00) - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS ## Abstract The present disclosure provides a method for controlling a solar power plant comprising a plurality of solar modules. The method may comprise (a) obtaining irradiance data at a first time and a second time from a plurality of sensors disposed among or adjacent to the plurality of solar modules; (b) processing the irradiance data at the first time and the second time to generate an output that indicates whether one or more solar modules of the plurality of solar modules will be covered by a shadow or shade at a third time; (c) generating, based at least in part on the output, a power output prediction for the plurality of solar modules at the third time; and (d) adjusting a power output of the solar power plant based at least in part on the power output prediction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: (a) determining power outputs of a plurality of inverters at a first time point and a second time point, wherein each of the plurality of inverters is electrically coupled to one or more solar modules of a plurality of solar modules and wherein the second time point is later than the first time point; (b) processing the power outputs of the plurality of inverters to determine a trajectory of a shadow or shade moving over at least two solar modules in the plurality of solar modules; (c) generating a prediction of whether one or more solar modules in the plurality of solar modules will be covered by the shadow or shade at a third time point, wherein the third time point is later than the second time point; and (d) adjusting a power output of at least one inverter in the plurality of inverters based at least partially on the prediction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a prediction of the power outputs of the plurality of inverters at the third time point. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising determining a location among the plurality of solar modules that has a rate of change in power output that is higher than the average rate of change of power output on the plurality of solar modules, wherein a leading or trailing edge of the shadow or shade is determined to be at the location. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein each inverter of the plurality of inverters is electrically coupled to an equal number of solar modules. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising adjusting a power output of the solar power plant based at least partially on the prediction of the power outputs of the plurality of inverters. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising adjusting an orientation of at least one solar module in the plurality of solar modules based at least partially on the prediction of the power outputs of the plurality of inverters. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a position and/or shape of the shadow or shade at the first time step or the second time step. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a position and/or shape of the shadow or shade at the third time point. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a velocity of the shadow or shade as the shadow or shade is moving over the plurality of solar modules. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising using wind speed data to determine the trajectory of the shadow or shade. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the prediction of the power outputs of the plurality of inverters comprises a prediction of the power output of each inverter in the plurality of inverters. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of solar modules is arranged in a grid. ### Claim 13 A system comprising one or more processors configured to: (a) determine power outputs of a plurality of inverters at a first time point and a second time point, wherein each of the plurality of inverters is electrically coupled to one or more solar modules of a plurality of solar modules and wherein the second time point is later than the first time point; (b) process the power outputs of the plurality of inverters to determine a trajectory of a shadow or shade moving over at least two solar modules in the plurality of solar modules; (c) generate a prediction of whether one or more solar modules in the plurality of solar modules will be covered by the shadow or shade at a third time point, wherein the third time point is later than the second time point; and (d) adjust a power output of at least one inverter in the plurality of inverters based at least partially on the prediction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to generate a prediction of the power outputs of the plurality of inverters at the third time point. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine a location among the plurality of solar modules that has a rate of change in power output that is higher than the average rate of change of power output on the plurality of solar modules, wherein a leading or trailing edge of the shadow or shade is determined to be at the location. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein each inverter of the plurality of inverters is electrically coupled to an equal number of solar modules. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to adjust a power output of the solar power plant based at least partially on the prediction of the power outputs of the plurality of inverters. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to adjust an orientation of at least one solar module in the plurality of solar modules based at least partially on the prediction of power outputs of the plurality of inverters. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine a position and/or shape of the shadow or shade at the first time step or the second time step. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a position and/or shape of the shadow or shade at the third time step. ### Claim 21 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine a velocity of the shadow or shade as the shadow or shade is moving over the plurality of solar modules. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to use wind speed data to determine the trajectory of the shadow or shade. ### Claim 23 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the prediction of the power outputs of the plurality of inverters comprises a prediction of the power output of each inverter in the plurality of inverters. ### Claim 24 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of solar modules is arranged in a grid. ### Claim 25 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising: (a) determining power outputs of a plurality of inverters at a first time point and a second time point, wherein each of the plurality of inverters is electrically coupled to one or more solar modules of a plurality of solar modules and wherein the second time point is later than the first time point; (b) processing the power outputs of the plurality of inverters to determine a trajectory of a shadow or shade moving over at least two solar modules in the plurality of solar modules; (c) generating a prediction of whether one or more solar modules in the plurality of solar modules will be covered by the shadow or shade at a third time point, wherein the third time point is later than the second time point; and (d) adjusting a power output of at least one inverter in the plurality of inverters based at least partially on the prediction. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the operations further comprise generating a prediction of the power outputs of the plurality of inverters at the third time point. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the operations further comprise determining a location among the plurality of solar modules that has a rate of change in power output that is higher than the average rate of change of power output on the plurality of solar modules, wherein a leading or trailing edge of the shadow or shade is determined to be at the location. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein each inverter of the plurality of inverters is electrically coupled to an equal number of solar modules. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the operations further comprise adjusting a power output of the solar power plant based at least partially on the prediction of the power outputs of the plurality of inverters. ### Claim 30 (depends on 26) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the operations further comprise adjusting an orientation of at least one solar module in the plurality of solar modules based at least partially on the prediction of the power outputs of the plurality of inverters. ### Claim 31 (depends on 25) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the operations further comprise determining a position and/or shape of the shadow or shade at the first time step or the second time step. ### Claim 32 (depends on 25) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the operations further comprise determining a position and/or shape of the shadow or shade at the third time point. ### Claim 33 (depends on 25) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the operations further comprise determining a velocity of the shadow or shade as the shadow or shade is moving over the plurality of solar modules. ### Claim 34 (depends on 25) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the operations further comprise using wind speed data to determine the trajectory of the shadow or shade. ### Claim 35 (depends on 25) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the prediction of the power outputs of the plurality of inverters comprises a prediction of the power output of each inverter in the plurality of inverters. ### Claim 36 (depends on 25) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the plurality of solar modules is arranged in a grid.