Calculation and Validation of Weather-Informed Renewable Generation in the US based on ERA5 Hourly Weather Measurements

Due to the benefits of direct inclusion of weather measurements in the power flow studies compared to using cumulative utility capacity factors, we introduce a methodology for the estimation of renewable energy output from detailed ERA5 data based on the U.S. Energy Information Administration generator data and power models and then validate the calculated results of each generator, using publicly available resources. Validation is performed by comparing our estimations against publicly available data for the largest renewable generators in the U.S. The analysis reveals strong correlations with reference capacity factors, underscoring the effectiveness of our approach. This validation not only supports the proposed strategy but also highlights its potential for improving renewable energy models.