Which Reanalysis Dataset Should We Use for Renewable Energy Analysis in Ireland?

Attention should always be given to which reanalysis dataset to use when preparing analysis for a project. The accuracies of three reanalysis datasets, two global (ERA5 and MERRA-2) and one high-resolution regional reanalysis (MÉRA), are assessed by comparison with observations at seven weather observing stations around Ireland. Skill scores are calculated for the weather variables at these stations that are most relevant to the renewable energy sector: 10 m wind for wind power; surface shortwave radiation (SW) and 2 m temperature for photovoltaic power generation. The choice of which reanalysis dataset to use is important when future planning depends on this data. The newer ERA5 generally outperforms the other two reanalyses. However, this is not always true, and the best performing reanalysis dataset often depends on the variable of interest and location. As errors are significant for these reanalysis datasets, consideration should also be given to datasets specifically tailored to renewable energy resource modelling.