Data & Analytics · Solcast + Claude
Solcast MCP with Claude: Automate Solar Irradiance and PV Forecast Reporting
The short answer
Claude works with Solcast through the Model Context Protocol (MCP), a standard that lets Claude securely read data from Solcast. Once connected with an API key, Claude can retrieve solar irradiance data, fetch PV power forecasts for a site, analyse conditions and draft reports from plain-language requests.
What is Solcast?
Solcast provides global solar resource data, including irradiance measurements and forecasts, along with PV power forecasts. Solar developers, asset owners, energy traders, utilities and consultants use it to plan projects, forecast generation and manage solar assets. It helps them understand how much sunlight a location receives and how much power a system is likely to produce.
How Claude connects to Solcast through MCP
The Model Context Protocol is an open standard that lets Claude securely use other software. Think of it as a universal adapter between Claude and a tool. Through MCP, Claude can reach Solcast's data in a controlled way, without copying files by hand or switching between screens.
Once connected, Claude can typically read solar irradiance data, request PV power forecasts for a given location and system, and compare conditions across sites. A user can ask a question such as how a particular site's output compares with last week's forecast, and Claude retrieves the figures and explains them in plain English.
Access is controlled by the API key the organisation provides, and the connection can be limited to the data the team actually needs. Reading data is the usual starting point. Any step that changes a shared report, sends figures to a client or triggers a decision can be set to require human approval, so people stay in charge.
What you can automate
Site feasibility checks for new projects
Developers evaluating a potential solar site can ask Claude for irradiance figures across several locations at once. Claude pulls the relevant data, summarises the differences and highlights which sites look strongest. The project team then reviews the summary and decides which sites to study further, saving analyst time at the early stage.
Daily generation forecast summaries
Operations teams often need a clear view of expected output each morning. Claude can retrieve PV power forecasts for each managed asset and produce a short summary showing expected generation, notable changes from the previous day and sites that may need attention. The operations lead receives it before the day's first planning meeting.
Forecast versus actual performance reviews
Asset managers can ask Claude to compare forecast figures with recorded output for a period. Claude organises the comparison, flags sites where the gap is large and drafts an explanation for review. This helps teams spot underperforming assets sooner and focus maintenance checks where they will matter most.
Client and investor reporting
Consultants and asset owners regularly prepare solar reports for clients or investors. Claude can gather irradiance and forecast data, arrange it into the standard report structure and draft commentary in plain language. A specialist then checks the figures and edits the narrative before anything is sent.
Trading and energy planning briefs
Energy teams that plan purchases or sales around solar output can ask Claude for a concise daily brief covering expected generation across portfolios. The brief arrives in a consistent format, letting traders and planners focus on interpretation rather than data gathering.
An end-to-end workflow: Automated daily solar portfolio briefing
TriggerEvery weekday at 07:00, a scheduled run starts for the operations team.
Claude retrieves PV power forecasts from Solcast for each site in the portfolio.
Claude compares the forecasts with the previous day's forecasts and the latest recorded output held in the company's operations system.
Claude flags sites with large changes in expected generation or unusual gaps.
Claude drafts a one-page briefing with a summary table and short commentary.
The operations manager reviews and approves the briefing.
The approved briefing is posted to the team's Microsoft 365 workspace and shared with the wider management group.
OutcomeOperations leaders start the day with a consistent, checked view of expected generation across the portfolio. Analysts spend less time copying figures and more time acting on the issues flagged.
How we set it up
Free automation audit
We review how your team currently gathers and reports solar data, and identify the workflows worth automating with Solcast and Claude. You leave with a clear list of priorities and an estimate of the effort involved.
Secure connection with an API key
We connect Claude to Solcast using the API key sign-in method that Solcast supports. The key is stored securely and access is limited to the data the workflow needs, following the principle of least privilege.
Workflow design
We design the end-to-end workflow across Solcast and your other systems, such as Microsoft 365, your CRM or ERP. We agree which actions run automatically and which require a person's approval.
Testing against real cases
We test the workflow against past forecasts and reports from your own portfolio, checking outputs with your specialists before anything goes live. Any gaps are corrected at this stage.
Launch, monitoring and training
We launch with monitoring and audit logs so every action can be traced, then train your team on using and supervising the workflow. Support continues while your team builds confidence.
Who benefits
- Solar asset manager
- Sees expected and actual generation across the portfolio in one daily summary, and spots underperformers sooner.
- Project developer
- Compares irradiance across candidate sites quickly, shortening the early feasibility stage.
- Energy trader or planner
- Receives consistent generation briefs that support planning decisions without manual data gathering.
- Operations or IT head
- Gains a controlled, auditable connection between Solcast and existing systems, with clear approval points.
Security and control
- Access uses an API key with least-privilege scope, limited to the data the workflow needs.
- Consequential actions, such as sending reports to clients or changing shared records, require human approval.
- Every Claude action is recorded in audit logs so teams can review what was retrieved and produced.
- Outputs are tested against your own historical data before launch, and specialists check important figures.
- Forecasts are estimates that depend on weather and system assumptions, so reports present them as indicative rather than guaranteed.
For teams in the US, UK, India and the Middle East
Organisations in the United States and the United Kingdom can host their Claude workflows in their own region to align with local data protection expectations. Indian organisations are supported under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, and Middle East organisations in the UAE and Saudi Arabia can meet their local data protection requirements. We choose the hosting region for each deployment to suit your legal and operational needs.
Learn more about Claude and MCP
Anthropic's AI model and assistant.
Secure links between Claude and business tools.
How engineers build and change software with Claude.
Hosted agents that run multi-step work.
The open standard Claude uses to connect to tools.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Solcast MCP server do?
The Solcast MCP server acts as a secure bridge between Solcast's solar data and AI tools such as Claude. It lets Claude request irradiance data and PV power forecasts in a controlled way, so questions can be answered in natural language instead of through manual queries. The server exposes only the functions the connection is set up to allow.
Is connecting Solcast to Claude secure?
Security depends on how the connection is configured. Access is granted with the API key Solcast supports, limited to the data needed, and every action is logged. Consequential steps can require human approval. We also review the set-up against your organisation's security policies before launch.
What can Claude do with Solcast once connected?
Typically, Claude can retrieve solar irradiance data for locations, request PV power forecasts, compare conditions across sites and help draft summary reports. It can explain the results in plain English. Actions that change records or send information outside the organisation can be restricted or reviewed by a person.
How long does setup take?
Timing depends on the number of sites, the systems involved and how many workflows you want. A focused single workflow can often be built and tested in a few weeks, while a wider portfolio takes longer. The free automation audit gives you a realistic timeline before any work begins.
What plan or permissions do I need?
You need access to Solcast data through an API key, and the permissions your organisation's Solcast account provides for the data you want to use. The exact requirements depend on your existing Solcast arrangement, so we confirm them during the audit and recommend only the access the workflow genuinely needs.