MDA's Stellar Solar Forecasting System Predicts Eclipse Impacts on U.S. Solar Energy Supply

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Aug. 03, 2017 -- The first total eclipse to impact the contiguous United States since 1979 will take place later this month on August 21, 2017. With enhancements made to their already state-of-the-science system, MDA has utilized cutting edge technologies to model the impacts of the impending eclipse on solar generation potential across the country.

Graphic: Red and blue colored circles represent solar farms. Small blue dots are those highly impacted by the total eclipse at 13:40 EDT (10:40 PDT), while the larger red circles are farms not yet being significantly impacted.

A photo accompanying this release is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f8b7ca12-cbc2-4b87-bcc5-a7e5eee786e9

The model predicts a major impact on solar generation within the United States as the eclipse moves from west to east across the country. Impacts will begin along the West Coast as early as 12:00 EDT (09:00 PDT) and will subside entirely along the East Coast around 16:00 EDT (13:00 PDT). Nationally, solar generation potential will decrease to less than 50% of capacity around 13:40 EDT (10:40 PDT) as a result of the total eclipse as shown in the graphic below. This represents a reduction of >11000MW of renewable energy supply for over 20 minutes. Based on percentage of capacity, the impact will be even greater in the Duke Energy’s Carolinas service area, where the potential solar generation will drop from greater than 90% at 13:15 EDT (10:15 PDT) to just 8% at 14:45 EDT (11:45 PDT).

The MDA solar forecasting system is a highly skilled state-of-the-science system that has recently placed first in a competition hosted by an independent third-party that included a dozen weather service providers. MDA offers a wide range of solar forecasting capabilities, including forecasts for: solar farms, aggregate totals including at the RTO/ISO level and national, and behind the meter.

For additional images and animations associated with the total eclipse on August 21, 2017, please visit our website at: www.mdaus.com/news/?id=187 or follow us on Twitter @MDA_Weather. 

About MDA Weather Services:

MDA Weather Services is the global leader for weather risk and commodity weather support and maintains a full short, medium, and long range forecast service as well as the industry’s leading archive of cleaned global historical weather information. The company provides special reports on key market-moving concerns, maintains high levels of communication, and 24/7/365 consultation with its worldwide client base. MDA's products support client decision making processes throughout the majority of the weather risk, energy, and agricultural markets. MDA Weather Services is a business area within MDA Information Systems LLC, the fundamental provider of essential global information solutions and risk management products. For more information, visit http://www.mdaus.com or email [email protected].

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Chris Hyde
MDA Weather Services
Director, Weather Marketing
MDA Information Systems LLC
240-833-8322
[email protected]