ENERPARC AG, its electricity trading subsidiary Sunnic Lighthouse, and the startup Nuno Labs have launched a joint pilot project to improve short-term generation forecasts for photovoltaic systems. The integration phase of the sensor hubs developed by Nuno Labs into four ENERPARC solar parks has already been successfully completed.
The sensors collect local weather data and incorporate real-time data from the sky. What makes this innovative system unique is that it uses artificial intelligence to generate short-term forecasts—ranging from minutes to hours—before the generated solar power is delivered.
The goal of the collaboration is to increase the accuracy of weather forecasts—and thus of expected solar power production—thereby further optimizing the marketing and integration of renewable energy into the energy system.
Precise short-term forecasts are becoming increasingly important, particularly for photovoltaic systems with battery storage and prequalified solar parks for system services. They enable more efficient operation of the plants, improve the quality of power marketing, and contribute to a more stable and efficient energy system.
Arved von Harpe, Managing Director of Sunnic Lighthouse: “With the expansion of battery storage and new marketing models, the demand for precise generation forecasts is increasing. The more accurately we can forecast short-term renewable energy generation, the more efficiently plants can be marketed in the intraday market or for the provision of balancing energy and integrated into the power system. The collaboration with Nuno Labs opens up promising new opportunities in this regard.”
The results achieved last year at several solar parks—initially in test environments and now, in some cases, already in live operation—are promising and demonstrate greater accuracy than established forecasting methods.
David Dietz, founder and CEO of Nuno Labs: “With our sensor hubs, we’re creating a new data foundation for more precise short-term forecasts. In our project with ENERPARC and Sunnic, we aim to demonstrate how modern AI technologies can increase the economic efficiency of solar plants while simultaneously supporting the integration of renewable energy. Our proprietary models combine cutting-edge AI research with the practical requirements of operating large solar parks.”
This collaboration brings together ENERPARC’s many years of experience in the development and operation of solar parks, Sunnic’s expertise in the marketing of renewable energy, and Nuno Labs’ AI-based forecasting technology.
Stefan Müller, COO and co-founder of ENERPARC: “We at ENERPARC are already using AI-supported applications in many areas—I’m eager to see the results that Nuno Labs can achieve with its AI-based generation forecasts using the Sensor Hubs. The German startup scene is currently evolving extremely dynamically in the renewable energy sector. So many strong ideas are emerging here, from which young companies as well as established industry partners benefit—and ultimately, so does the energy transition.”
The partners view this initiative as a joint innovation project with a long-term perspective. The goal is to further develop the technology in practical operation and to open up additional areas of application for the intelligent control and marketing of photovoltaic systems.
About ENERPARC
ENERPARC is an internationally active specialist in megawatt-scale solar power plants. Since its founding, ENERPARC has focused on the development, construction, and operation of ground-mounted photovoltaic systems. The company covers the entire value chain—from planning and implementation to electricity marketing and storage solutions. In this segment, ENERPARC has become one of the largest independent operators of solar power plants in Europe.
The ENERPARC Group currently employs around 700 people in Germany, Spain, France, India, and Australia. In recent years, ENERPARC has successfully connected more than 750 solar plants worldwide to the grid, with a total capacity of over 5,500 MW—approximately 4,500 MW of which are its own power plants.
About Sunnic
Sunnic Lighthouse has been active in the German energy market since 2012 and offers customized services from a single source—ranging from direct marketing and electricity supply to trading. The subsidiary of ENERPARC AG specializes in the direct marketing of green electricity, which comes primarily from German photovoltaic and wind power plants. With a trading portfolio of over 4,800 MW of installed capacity, Sunnic Lighthouse is one of the largest direct marketers in Germany.
About Nuno Labs
Nuno Labs is a startup based in Munich. The team of mathematicians, computer scientists, and energy experts was founded by former students of TUM, Cambridge University, and Stanford University; the first employees conducted research at institutions including CERN, Harvard, and MIT. Nuno Labs installs its proprietary sensor hubs directly at solar farms, using them to collect its own on-site data and incorporating the sky as a data source to generate short-term forecasts of solar power generation using AI. In this way, Nuno Labs increases the profitability of solar power plants and promotes the integration of renewable energy. The company is active throughout Germany with more than 25 projects.