Wind and solar energy combined often makes over 50% of the energy on our local grid, and the best way to use this clean energy is to know when this happens in your area.
I’ve previously used the National Grid ESO’s Carbon Intensity app to find current regional fuel-mix information. To the best of my knowledge, these regions do not always align with DNO/DSO or administrative boundaries. To simplify this and make the information more accessible, I’ve built a free wind and solar energy tool that provides ESO regional forecast data using postcode searches.
I have done this as community volunteer in response to the common misconception that the only way to access renewable energy is to be on a green energy tariff or have solar panels. By developing this resource my hope is that low-income households will be able to know when there is forecasted green energy available to use, no matter what tariff they are on.
I have published my code on GitHub for anyone to use. The data comes from the National Grid ESO, Carbon Intensity API which includes a 48 hour postcode search for a regional forecast. I’m using this data to display the amount of wind and solar on the grid, half-hourly, for the next two days, and prioritising this information to low-income areas that are at risk of being left behind during the energy transition. By using a postcode search for regional forecasts I hope to make this data more accessible, especially to those that who are unfamiliar with regional boundaries.
As an example, if you live in a postcode in the north west the chances are your electricity will be over 50% wind and solar energy for most of the time over the next 48 hours. The early hours of tomorrow morning are showing the lowest readings but that soon changes around 10am when renewable energy starts to make up most of the energy mix for people living in the M9 area.
48-Hour Wind & Solar Forecast: North West (M9)
August 20th
48%
August 20th
49%
August 20th
50%
August 20th
51%
August 20th
51%
August 21st
51%
August 21st
51%
August 21st
51%
August 21st
49%
August 21st
48%
August 21st
47%
August 21st
46%
August 21st
44%
August 21st
42%
August 21st
40%
August 21st
38%
August 21st
36%
August 21st
35%
August 21st
38%
August 21st
42%
August 21st
42%
August 21st
43%
August 21st
45%
August 21st
46%
August 21st
49%
August 21st
50%
August 21st
52%
August 21st
52%
August 21st
53%
August 21st
54%
August 21st
55%
August 21st
56%
August 21st
55%
August 21st
56%
August 21st
56%
August 21st
56%
August 21st
56%
August 21st
57%
August 21st
57%
August 21st
57%
August 21st
56%
August 21st
56%
August 21st
57%
August 21st
57%
August 21st
56%
August 21st
56%
August 21st
56%
August 21st
55%
August 21st
55%
August 21st
55%
August 21st
56%
August 21st
57%
August 21st
57%
August 22nd
57%
August 22nd
58%
August 22nd
58%
August 22nd
58%
August 22nd
58%
August 22nd
57%
August 22nd
58%
August 22nd
58%
August 22nd
58%
August 22nd
57%
August 22nd
56%
August 22nd
56%
August 22nd
58%
August 22nd
59%
August 22nd
58%
August 22nd
57%
August 22nd
57%
August 22nd
57%
August 22nd
56%
August 22nd
56%
August 22nd
56%
August 22nd
56%
August 22nd
56%
August 22nd
56%
August 22nd
56%
August 22nd
56%
August 22nd
56%
August 22nd
55%
August 22nd
54%
August 22nd
53%
August 22nd
52%
August 22nd
50%
August 22nd
48%
August 22nd
47%
August 22nd
44%
August 22nd
43%
August 22nd
41%
August 22nd
41%
August 22nd
40%
August 22nd
38%
August 22nd
38%
August 22nd
36%
August 22nd
35%
Data visualisation innovation is key to renewable energy forecasts. Not many people know when the majority of electricity flowing into their homes is green, low-carbon energy. Highlighting recognisable local areas make regional forecasts more accessible. One of the aims of this project is to make forecasting as local as possible and for longer durations.
Community energy organisations are working with local communities all over the UK giving them direct access to clean energy with local generation, and are now able to notify them when the grid will have an abundance of green energy.
As the open-source code for this project progresses, I will occasionally update this post to reflect that while the tool provides regional forecasts using postcode searches for easier access, development is underway to offer outward postcode level results. If you’re a developer and would like to contribute, please visit my GitHub page – your support in building the next version would be greatly appreciated!
