Citation Guide

SolarBench harmonizes existing open datasets and new data contributions collected by research groups and organizations. Collecting, processing, and harmonizing these datasets requires substantial effort from the contributors. To recognize these contributions, we encourage users of SolarBench to cite both SolarBench and the original data sources for the datasets they use. An example wording would be: “We accessed the X and Y datasets through SolarBench.” Please refer to the citation guidelines below.

SolarBench

If you find SolarBench useful, please cite our paper:

Yuhao Nie, Stephen Campbell, Quentin Paletta, Liwenbo Zhang, Tao Jing, Samer Chaaraoui, Jonathan Giezendanner, Andea Scott, Tao Sun, Cong Feng, Max Aragon, Jacques Camier, Adam Jensen, Florian Kotthoff, Yuexing Yang, Yang Ming, Mengying Li, Stefanie Meilinger, Yupeng Wu, Adam Brandt, and Sherrie Wang. “SolarBench: A global solar energy nowcasting benchmark.” arXiv preprint arXiv:2609.06187 (2026).

BibTeX

@article{nie2026solarbench,
  title={SolarBench: A global solar energy nowcasting benchmark},
  author={Nie, Yuhao and Campbell, Stephen and Paletta, Quentin and
          Zhang, Liwenbo and Jing, Tao and Chaaraoui, Samer and
          Giezendanner, Jonathan and Scott, Andea and Sun, Tao and Feng, Cong and Aragon, Max and Camier, Jacques and Jensen, Adam and Kotthoff, Florian and Yang, Yuexing and Ming, Yang and Li, Mengying and Meilinger, Stefanie and Wu, Yupeng and Brandt, Adam and Wang, Sherrie},
  journal={arXiv preprint arXiv:2609.06187},
  year={2026}
}

Individual data sources

References to individual data sources are organized by data modality.

Ground-based observations

Datasets newly released through SolarBench

For Akwatia, Kologo, and Sankt Augustin (EnerSHelF), Hong Kong (HKPolyUSky), and Nottingham (UNottingham), please cite the SolarBench paper using the reference or BibTeX entry listed above. Details of the data collection can be found in the Supplementary Information of the SolarBench paper.

Folsom — UCSD-Folsom [Source Repository]

Pedro, H. T. C., Larson, D. P., and Coimbra, C. F. M. (2019). A comprehensive dataset for the accelerated development and benchmarking of solar forecasting methods. Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, 11, 036102.

BibTeX

@article{pedro2019folsom,
  author={Pedro, H. T. C. and Larson, D. P. and Coimbra, C. F. M.},
  title={A comprehensive dataset for the accelerated development and benchmarking of solar forecasting methods},
  journal={Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy},
  volume={11},
  pages={036102},
  year={2019},
  doi={10.1063/1.5094494}
}

Gatton — UQueensland [Source Repository]

Xu, S., and Ma, H. (2023). Gatton Sky Image and PV Generation 2020. The University of Queensland. Data Collection.

BibTeX

@misc{xu2023gatton,
  author={Xu, Shijie and Ma, Hui},
  title={{Gatton Sky Image and PV Generation 2020}},
  publisher={The University of Queensland},
  year={2023},
  doi={10.48610/bd7e108}
}

Golden — SRRL-BMS [Source Repository]

Andreas, A., and Stoffel, T. (1981). NREL Solar Radiation Research Laboratory (SRRL): Baseline Measurement System (BMS); Golden, Colorado (Data). NREL Report DA-5500-56488.

BibTeX

@misc{andreas1981srrl,
  author={Andreas, A. and Stoffel, T.},
  title={{NREL Solar Radiation Research Laboratory (SRRL): Baseline Measurement System (BMS); Golden, Colorado (Data)}},
  year={1981},
  publisher={National Renewable Energy Laboratory},
  note={NREL Report No. DA-5500-56488},
  doi={10.5439/1052221}
}

Paris — SIRTA [Source Repository]

Haeffelin, M., Barthès, L., Bock, O., Boitel, C., Bony, S., Bouniol, D., Chepfer, H., Chiriaco, M., Cuesta, J., Delanoë, J., Drobinski, P., Dufresne, J.-L., Flamant, C., Grall, M., Hodzic, A., Hourdin, F., Lapouge, F., Lemaître, Y., Mathieu, A., Morille, Y., Naud, C., Noël, V., O’Hirok, B., Pelon, J., Pietras, C., Protat, A., Romand, B., Scialom, G., and Vautard, R. (2005). SIRTA, a ground-based atmospheric observatory for cloud and aerosol research. Annales Geophysicae, 23, 253–275.

BibTeX

@article{haeffelin2005sirta,
  author={Haeffelin, M. and Barthès, L. and Bock, O. and Boitel, C. and Bony, S. and Bouniol, D. and Chepfer, H. and Chiriaco, M. and Cuesta, J. and Delanoë, J. and Drobinski, P. and Dufresne, J.-L. and Flamant, C. and Grall, M. and Hodzic, A. and Hourdin, F. and Lapouge, F. and Lemaître, Y. and Mathieu, A. and Morille, Y. and Naud, C. and Noël, V. and O'Hirok, B. and Pelon, J. and Pietras, C. and Protat, A. and Romand, B. and Scialom, G. and Vautard, R.},
  title={{SIRTA}, a ground-based atmospheric observatory for cloud and aerosol research},
  journal={Annales Geophysicae},
  volume={23},
  pages={253--275},
  year={2005}
}

Puy de Dôme — CO-PDD [Source Repository]

Baray, J.-L., Deguillaume, L., Colomb, A., Sellegri, K., Freney, E., Rose, C., Van Baelen, J., Pichon, J.-M., Picard, D., Fréville, P., Bouvier, L., Ribeiro, M., Amato, P., Banson, S., Bianco, A., Borbon, A., Bourcier, L., Bras, Y., Brigante, M., Cacault, P., Chauvigné, A., Charbouillot, T., Chaumerliac, N., Delort, A.-M., Delmotte, M., Dupuy, R., Farah, A., Febvre, G., Flossmann, A., Gourbeyre, C., Hervier, C., Hervo, M., Huret, N., Joly, M., Kazan, V., Lopez, M., Mailhot, G., Marinoni, A., Masson, O., Montoux, N., Parazols, M., Peyrin, F., Pointin, Y., Ramonet, M., Rocco, M., Sancelme, M., Sauvage, S., Schmidt, M., Tison, E., Vaïtilingom, M., Villani, P., Wang, M., Yver-Kwok, C., and Laj, P. (2020). Cézeaux-Aulnat-Opme-Puy De Dôme: a multi-site for the long-term survey of the tropospheric composition and climate change. Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 13, 3413–3445.

BibTeX

@article{baray2020cezeaux,
  author  = {Baray, J.-L. and Deguillaume, L. and Colomb, A. and Sellegri, K. and Freney, E. and Rose, C. and Van Baelen, J. and Pichon, J.-M. and Picard, D. and Fr{\'e}ville, P. and Bouvier, L. and Ribeiro, M. and Amato, P. and Banson, S. and Bianco, A. and Borbon, A. and Bourcier, L. and Bras, Y. and Brigante, M. and Cacault, P. and Chauvign{\'e}, A. and Charbouillot, T. and Chaumerliac, N. and Delort, A.-M. and Delmotte, M. and Dupuy, R. and Farah, A. and Febvre, G. and Flossmann, A. and Gourbeyre, C. and Hervier, C. and Hervo, M. and Huret, N. and Joly, M. and Kazan, V. and Lopez, M. and Mailhot, G. and Marinoni, A. and Masson, O. and Montoux, N. and Parazols, M. and Peyrin, F. and Pointin, Y. and Ramonet, M. and Rocco, M. and Sancelme, M. and Sauvage, S. and Schmidt, M. and Tison, E. and Va{\"\i}tilingom, M. and Villani, P. and Wang, M. and Yver-Kwok, C. and Laj, P.},
  title   = {C{\'e}zeaux-Aulnat-Opme-Puy De D{\^o}me: a multi-site for the long-term survey of the tropospheric composition and climate change},
  journal = {Atmospheric Measurement Techniques},
  year    = {2020},
  volume  = {13},
  pages   = {3413--3445}
}

Stanford — SKIPP’D [Source Repository]

Nie, Y., Li, X., Scott, A., Sun, Y., Venugopal, V., and Brandt, A. (2023). SKIPP’D: A SKy Images and Photovoltaic Power Generation Dataset for short-term solar forecasting. Solar Energy, 255, 171–179.

BibTeX

@article{nie2023skipp,
  author={Nie, Yuhao and Li, Xiatong and Scott, Andea and Sun, Yuchi and Venugopal, Vignesh and Brandt, Adam},
  title={{SKIPP'D}: A {SKy Images and Photovoltaic Power Generation Dataset} for short-term solar forecasting},
  journal={Solar Energy},
  volume={255},
  pages={171--179},
  year={2023}
}

Remote sensing imagery

Geostationary satellite imagery data sources are organized by satellite platform.

Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) [Source Repository]

Covering sites: Akwatia, Kologo, Nottingham, Paris, Puy de Dôme, and Sankt Augustin.

Schmetz, J., Pili, P., Tjemkes, S., Just, D., Kerkmann, J., Rota, S. and Ratier, A., 2002. An introduction to Meteosat second generation (MSG). Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 83(7), 977-992.

BibTeX

@article{schmetz2002introduction,
  title={An introduction to Meteosat second generation (MSG)},
  author={Schmetz, Johannes and Pili, Paolo and Tjemkes, Stephen and Just, Dieter and Kerkmann, Jochen and Rota, Sergio and Ratier, Alain},
  journal={Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society},
  volume={83},
  number={7},
  pages={977--992},
  year={2002},
  publisher={American Meteorological Society}
}

Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) [Source Repository]

Covering sites: Golden (GOES-16)

NOAA Office of Satellite and Product Operations, (1994): NOAA Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) I-M and N-P Series Imager Data. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. doi:10.25921/Z9JQ-K976.

BibTeX

@misc{noaa1994goesimager,
author    = {{NOAA Office of Satellite and Product Operations}},
title     = {{NOAA Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) I--M and N--P Series Imager Data}},
year      = {1994},
publisher = {NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information},
doi       = {10.25921/Z9JQ-K976},
note      = {[access date]}
}

Himawari [Source Repository]

Covering sites: Gatton (Himawari-8), and Hong Kong (Himawari-9)

Bessho, K., Date, K., Hayashi, M., Ikeda, A., Imai, T., Inoue, H., Kumagai, Y., Miyakawa, T., Murata, H., Ohno, T. and Okuyama, A., 2016. An introduction to Himawari-8/9—Japan’s new-generation geostationary meteorological satellites. Journal of the Meteorological Society of Japan. Ser. II, 94(2), 151-183.

BibTeX

@article{bessho2016introduction,
  title={An introduction to Himawari-8/9—Japan’s new-generation geostationary meteorological satellites},
  author={Bessho, Kotaro and Date, Kenji and Hayashi, Masahiro and Ikeda, Akio and Imai, Takahito and Inoue, Hidekazu and Kumagai, Yukihiro and Miyakawa, Takuya and Murata, Hidehiko and Ohno, Tomoo and others},
  journal={Journal of the Meteorological Society of Japan. Ser. II},
  volume={94},
  number={2},
  pages={151--183},
  year={2016},
  publisher={Meteorological Society of Japan}
}

Atmospheric model outputs

Atmospheric model outputs include ECMWF Reanalysis v5 (ERA5) and numerical weather prediction (NWP) from NOAA’s Global Forecast System (GFS).

ERA5 — climate reanalysis [Source Repository]

Copernicus Climate Change Service (2023). ERA5 hourly data on single levels from 1940 to present. Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) Climate Data Store (CDS).

BibTeX

@misc{c3s2023era5,
  author={{Copernicus Climate Change Service}},
  title={{ERA5} hourly data on single levels from 1940 to present},
  year={2023},
  publisher={Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) Climate Data Store (CDS)},
  doi={10.24381/cds.adbb2d47}
}

GFS — numerical weather prediction [Source Repository]

NOAA Environmental Modeling Center, (2004): Global Forecast System (GFS) 1.0 Degree. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

BibTeX

@misc{noaa2004gfs,
author    = {{NOAA Environmental Modeling Center}},
title     = {{Global Forecast System (GFS) 1.0 Degree}},
year      = {2004},
publisher = {NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information},
type      = {Data},
number    = {NCEI DSI 6174},
note      = {[access date]}
}