Accept albedo in weather input to ModelChain.run_model method

docs/sphinx/source/whatsnew/v0.9.2.rst

@@ -8,21 +8,26 @@ Deprecations
 
 Enhancements
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~
+* albedo can now be provided as a column in the `weather` DataFrame input to
+  :py:method:`pvlib.modelchain.ModelChain.run_model`. (:issue:`1387`, :pull:`1478`)
+* albedo is now available as an input to :py:meth:`pvlib.pvsystem.PVSystem.get_irradiance`
+  and :py:meth:`pvlib.pvsystem.Array.get_irradiance`. (:pull:`1478`)
 * :py:func:`pvlib.iotools.read_surfrad` now also accepts remote files
   with https links in addition to files on the SURFRAD FTP server
   (:pull:`1459`)
 * Add :py:func:`pvlib.tracking.calc_surface_orientation` for calculating
   single-axis tracker ``surface_tilt`` and ``surface_azimuth`` from
   rotation angles. (:issue:`1471`, :pull:`1480`)
 
+
 Bug fixes
 ~~~~~~~~~
 * :py:func:`pvlib.irradiance.get_total_irradiance` and
   :py:func:`pvlib.solarposition.spa_python` now raise an error instead
-  of silently ignoring unknown parameters (:pull:`1437`)
+  of silently ignoring unknown parameters. (:pull:`1437`)
 * Fix a bug in :py:func:`pvlib.solarposition.sun_rise_set_transit_ephem`
   where passing localized timezones with large UTC offsets could return
-  rise/set/transit times for the wrong day in recent versions of ``ephem``
+  rise/set/transit times for the wrong day in recent versions of ``ephem``.
   (:issue:`1449`, :pull:`1448`)
 
 
@@ -55,6 +60,7 @@ Contributors
 * Naman Priyadarshi (:ghuser:`Naman-Priyadarshi`)
 * Chencheng Luo (:ghuser:`roger-lcc`)
 * Prajwal Borkar (:ghuser:`PrajwalBorkar`) 
+* Cliff Hansen (:ghuser:`cwhanse`)
 * Kevin Anderson (:ghuser:`kanderso-nrel`)
 * Cliff Hansen (:ghuser:`cwhanse`)
 * Jules Chéron (:ghuser:`jules-ch`)

pvlib/clearsky.py

@@ -960,8 +960,8 @@ def bird(zenith, airmass_relative, aod380, aod500, precipitable_water,
         Extraterrestrial radiation [W/m^2], defaults to 1364[W/m^2]
     asymmetry : numeric
         Asymmetry factor, defaults to 0.85
-    albedo : numeric
-        Albedo, defaults to 0.2
+    albedo : numeric, default 0.2
+        Ground surface albedo. [unitless]
 
     Returns
     -------

pvlib/irradiance.py

@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ def beam_component(surface_tilt, surface_azimuth, solar_zenith, solar_azimuth,
 def get_total_irradiance(surface_tilt, surface_azimuth,
                          solar_zenith, solar_azimuth,
                          dni, ghi, dhi, dni_extra=None, airmass=None,
-                         albedo=.25, surface_type=None,
+                         albedo=0.25, surface_type=None,
                          model='isotropic',
                          model_perez='allsitescomposite1990'):
     r"""
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ def get_total_irradiance(surface_tilt, surface_azimuth,
     airmass : None or numeric, default None
         Relative airmass (not adjusted for pressure). [unitless]
     albedo : numeric, default 0.25
-        Surface albedo. [unitless]
+        Ground surface albedo. [unitless]
     surface_type : None or str, default None
         Surface type. See :py:func:`~pvlib.irradiance.get_ground_diffuse` for
         the list of accepted values.
@@ -1872,7 +1872,7 @@ def gti_dirint(poa_global, aoi, solar_zenith, solar_azimuth, times,
         applied.
 
     albedo : numeric, default 0.25
-        Surface albedo
+        Ground surface albedo. [unitless]
 
     model : String, default 'perez'
         Irradiance model.  See :py:func:`get_sky_diffuse` for allowed values.

pvlib/modelchain.py

@@ -1339,6 +1339,16 @@ def _prep_inputs_solar_pos(self, weather):
             **kwargs)
         return self
 
+    def _prep_inputs_albedo(self, weather):
+        """
+        Get albedo from weather
+        """
+        try:
+            self.results.albedo = _tuple_from_dfs(weather, 'albedo')
+        except KeyError:
+            self.results.albedo = None
+        return self
+
     def _prep_inputs_airmass(self):
         """
         Assign airmass
@@ -1471,11 +1481,17 @@ def prepare_inputs(self, weather):
 
         Parameters
         ----------
-        weather : DataFrame, or tuple or list of DataFrame
+        weather : DataFrame, or tuple or list of DataFrames
             Required column names include ``'dni'``, ``'ghi'``, ``'dhi'``.
-            Optional column names are ``'wind_speed'``, ``'temp_air'``; if not
+            Optional column names are ``'wind_speed'``, ``'temp_air'``,
+            ``'albedo'``.
+
+            If optional columns ``'wind_speed'``, ``'temp_air'`` are not
             provided, air temperature of 20 C and wind speed
-            of 0 m/s will be added to the DataFrame.
+            of 0 m/s will be added to the `weather` DataFrame.
+
+            If optional column ``'albedo'`` is provided, albedo values in the
+            ModelChain's PVSystem.arrays are ignored.
 
             If `weather` is a tuple or list, it must be of the same length and
             order as the Arrays of the ModelChain's PVSystem.
@@ -1494,7 +1510,7 @@ def prepare_inputs(self, weather):
         Notes
         -----
         Assigns attributes to ``results``: ``times``, ``weather``,
-        ``solar_position``, ``airmass``, ``total_irrad``, ``aoi``
+        ``solar_position``, ``airmass``, ``total_irrad``, ``aoi``, ``albedo``.
 
         See also
         --------
@@ -1507,6 +1523,7 @@ def prepare_inputs(self, weather):
 
         self._prep_inputs_solar_pos(weather)
         self._prep_inputs_airmass()
+        self._prep_inputs_albedo(weather)
 
         # PVSystem.get_irradiance and SingleAxisTracker.get_irradiance
         # and PVSystem.get_aoi and SingleAxisTracker.get_aoi
@@ -1531,6 +1548,7 @@ def prepare_inputs(self, weather):
             _tuple_from_dfs(self.results.weather, 'dni'),
             _tuple_from_dfs(self.results.weather, 'ghi'),
             _tuple_from_dfs(self.results.weather, 'dhi'),
+            albedo=self.results.albedo,
             airmass=self.results.airmass['airmass_relative'],
             model=self.transposition_model
         )
@@ -1724,16 +1742,32 @@ def run_model(self, weather):
         Parameters
         ----------
         weather : DataFrame, or tuple or list of DataFrame
-            Irradiance column names must include ``'dni'``, ``'ghi'``, and
-            ``'dhi'``. If optional columns ``'temp_air'`` and ``'wind_speed'``
+            Column names must include:
+
+            - ``'dni'``
+            - ``'ghi'``
+            - ``'dhi'``
+
+            Optional columns are:
+
+            - ``'temp_air'``
+            - ``'cell_temperature'``
+            - ``'module_temperature'``
+            - ``'wind_speed'``
+            - ``'albedo'``
+
+            If optional columns ``'temp_air'`` and ``'wind_speed'``
             are not provided, air temperature of 20 C and wind speed of 0 m/s
             are added to the DataFrame. If optional column
             ``'cell_temperature'`` is provided, these values are used instead
-            of `temperature_model`. If optional column `module_temperature`
+            of `temperature_model`. If optional column ``'module_temperature'``
             is provided, `temperature_model` must be ``'sapm'``.
 
-            If list or tuple, must be of the same length and order as the
-            Arrays of the ModelChain's PVSystem.
+            If optional column ``'albedo'`` is provided, ``'albedo'`` may not
+            be present on the ModelChain's PVSystem.Arrays.
+
+            If weather is a list or tuple, it must be of the same length and
+            order as the Arrays of the ModelChain's PVSystem.
 
         Returns
         -------

pvlib/pvsystem.py

@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ class PVSystem:
         a single array is created from the other parameters (e.g.
         `surface_tilt`, `surface_azimuth`). Must contain at least one Array,
         if length of arrays is 0 a ValueError is raised. If `arrays` is
-        specified the following parameters are ignored:
+        specified the following PVSystem parameters are ignored:
 
         - `surface_tilt`
         - `surface_azimuth`
@@ -157,13 +157,14 @@ class PVSystem:
         North=0, East=90, South=180, West=270.
 
     albedo : None or float, default None
-        The ground albedo. If ``None``, will attempt to use
-        ``surface_type`` and ``irradiance.SURFACE_ALBEDOS``
-        to lookup albedo.
+        Ground surface albedo. If ``None``, then ``surface_type`` is used
+        to look up a value in ``irradiance.SURFACE_ALBEDOS``.
+        If ``surface_type`` is also None then a ground surface albedo
+        of 0.25 is used.
 
     surface_type : None or string, default None
-        The ground surface type. See ``irradiance.SURFACE_ALBEDOS``
-        for valid values.
+        The ground surface type. See ``irradiance.SURFACE_ALBEDOS`` for
+        valid values.
 
     module : None or string, default None
         The model name of the modules.
@@ -333,30 +334,33 @@ def get_aoi(self, solar_zenith, solar_azimuth):
 
     @_unwrap_single_value
     def get_irradiance(self, solar_zenith, solar_azimuth, dni, ghi, dhi,
-                       dni_extra=None, airmass=None, model='haydavies',
-                       **kwargs):
+                       albedo=None, dni_extra=None, airmass=None,
+                       model='haydavies', **kwargs):
         """
         Uses the :py:func:`irradiance.get_total_irradiance` function to
-        calculate the plane of array irradiance components on a tilted
-        surface defined by ``self.surface_tilt``,
-        ``self.surface_azimuth``, and ``self.albedo``.
+        calculate the plane of array irradiance components on the tilted
+        surfaces defined by each array's ``surface_tilt`` and
+        ``surface_azimuth```.
 
         Parameters
         ----------
-        solar_zenith : float or Series.
+        solar_zenith : float or Series
             Solar zenith angle.
-        solar_azimuth : float or Series.
+        solar_azimuth : float or Series
             Solar azimuth angle.
         dni : float or Series or tuple of float or Series
-            Direct Normal Irradiance
+            Direct Normal Irradiance. [W/m2]
         ghi : float or Series or tuple of float or Series
-            Global horizontal irradiance
+            Global horizontal irradiance. [W/m2]
         dhi : float or Series or tuple of float or Series
-            Diffuse horizontal irradiance
-        dni_extra : None, float or Series, default None
-            Extraterrestrial direct normal irradiance
+            Diffuse horizontal irradiance. [W/m2]
+        albedo : None, float or Series, default None
+            Ground surface albedo. [unitless]
+        dni_extra : None, float, Series or tuple of float or Series,\
+            default None
+            Extraterrestrial direct normal irradiance. [W/m2]
         airmass : None, float or Series, default None
-            Airmass
+            Airmass. [unitless]
         model : String, default 'haydavies'
             Irradiance model.
 
@@ -376,17 +380,26 @@ def get_irradiance(self, solar_zenith, solar_azimuth, dni, ghi, dhi,
         poa_irradiance : DataFrame or tuple of DataFrame
             Column names are: ``'poa_global', 'poa_direct', 'poa_diffuse',
             'poa_sky_diffuse', 'poa_ground_diffuse'``.
+
+        See also
+        --------
+        :py:func:`pvlib.irradiance.get_total_irradiance`
         """
         dni = self._validate_per_array(dni, system_wide=True)
         ghi = self._validate_per_array(ghi, system_wide=True)
         dhi = self._validate_per_array(dhi, system_wide=True)
+
+        albedo = self._validate_per_array(albedo, system_wide=True)
+
         return tuple(
             array.get_irradiance(solar_zenith, solar_azimuth,
                                  dni, ghi, dhi,
-                                 dni_extra, airmass, model,
+                                 albedo=albedo,
+                                 dni_extra=dni_extra, airmass=airmass,
+                                 model=model,
                                  **kwargs)
-            for array, dni, ghi, dhi in zip(
-                self.arrays, dni, ghi, dhi
+            for array, dni, ghi, dhi, albedo in zip(
+                self.arrays, dni, ghi, dhi, albedo
             )
         )
 
@@ -1258,14 +1271,14 @@ class Array:
         If not provided, a FixedMount with zero tilt is used.
 
     albedo : None or float, default None
-        The ground albedo. If ``None``, will attempt to use
-        ``surface_type`` to look up an albedo value in
-        ``irradiance.SURFACE_ALBEDOS``. If a surface albedo
-        cannot be found then 0.25 is used.
+        Ground surface albedo. If ``None``, then ``surface_type`` is used
+        to look up a value in ``irradiance.SURFACE_ALBEDOS``.
+        If ``surface_type`` is also None then a ground surface albedo
+        of 0.25 is used.
 
     surface_type : None or string, default None
-        The ground surface type. See ``irradiance.SURFACE_ALBEDOS``
-        for valid values.
+        The ground surface type. See ``irradiance.SURFACE_ALBEDOS`` for valid
+        values.
 
     module : None or string, default None
         The model name of the modules.
@@ -1425,15 +1438,14 @@ def get_aoi(self, solar_zenith, solar_azimuth):
                               solar_zenith, solar_azimuth)
 
     def get_irradiance(self, solar_zenith, solar_azimuth, dni, ghi, dhi,
-                       dni_extra=None, airmass=None, model='haydavies',
-                       **kwargs):
+                       albedo=None, dni_extra=None, airmass=None,
+                       model='haydavies', **kwargs):
         """
         Get plane of array irradiance components.
 
         Uses the :py:func:`pvlib.irradiance.get_total_irradiance` function to
         calculate the plane of array irradiance components for a surface
-        defined by ``self.surface_tilt`` and ``self.surface_azimuth`` with
-        albedo ``self.albedo``.
+        defined by ``self.surface_tilt`` and ``self.surface_azimuth``.
 
         Parameters
         ----------
@@ -1442,15 +1454,17 @@ def get_irradiance(self, solar_zenith, solar_azimuth, dni, ghi, dhi,
         solar_azimuth : float or Series.
             Solar azimuth angle.
         dni : float or Series
-            Direct Normal Irradiance
-        ghi : float or Series
+            Direct normal irradiance. [W/m2]
+        ghi : float or Series. [W/m2]
             Global horizontal irradiance
         dhi : float or Series
-            Diffuse horizontal irradiance
+            Diffuse horizontal irradiance. [W/m2]
+        albedo : None, float or Series, default None
+            Ground surface albedo. [unitless]
         dni_extra : None, float or Series, default None
-            Extraterrestrial direct normal irradiance
+            Extraterrestrial direct normal irradiance. [W/m2]
         airmass : None, float or Series, default None
-            Airmass
+            Airmass. [unitless]
         model : String, default 'haydavies'
             Irradiance model.
 
@@ -1463,7 +1477,14 @@ def get_irradiance(self, solar_zenith, solar_azimuth, dni, ghi, dhi,
         poa_irradiance : DataFrame
             Column names are: ``'poa_global', 'poa_direct', 'poa_diffuse',
             'poa_sky_diffuse', 'poa_ground_diffuse'``.
+
+        See also
+        --------
+        :py:func:`pvlib.irradiance.get_total_irradiance`
         """
+        if albedo is None:
+            albedo = self.albedo
+
         # not needed for all models, but this is easier
         if dni_extra is None:
             dni_extra = irradiance.get_extra_radiation(solar_zenith.index)
@@ -1476,10 +1497,10 @@ def get_irradiance(self, solar_zenith, solar_azimuth, dni, ghi, dhi,
                                                orientation['surface_azimuth'],
                                                solar_zenith, solar_azimuth,
                                                dni, ghi, dhi,
+                                               albedo=albedo,
                                                dni_extra=dni_extra,
                                                airmass=airmass,
                                                model=model,
-                                               albedo=self.albedo,
                                                **kwargs)
 
     def get_iam(self, aoi, iam_model='physical'):