Advanced automated machine learning framework for photovoltaic power output prediction using environmental parameters and SHAP interpretability

Accurate prediction of power output from a photovoltaic (PV) system is crucial for ensuring operational efficiency. This study addresses the challenge of predicting plant-scale PV power output by integrating automated machine learning (Auto-ML) with explainable modeling techniques. The integrated ap...

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Main Authors: Bakht, Muhammad Paend, Haji Mohd, Mohd Norzali, Ibrahim, Babul Salam KSM Kader, Khan, Nuzhat, Sheikh, Usman Ullah, Ab Rahman, Ab Al-Hadi
Format: Article
Language:en
Published: elsevier 2025
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Online Access:http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/12669/1/J19346_940469a52b76749b933003eaa7a17848.pdf
http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/12669/
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2024.103838
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_version_ 1834509285845893120
author Bakht, Muhammad Paend
Haji Mohd, Mohd Norzali
Ibrahim, Babul Salam KSM Kader
Khan, Nuzhat
Sheikh, Usman Ullah
Ab Rahman, Ab Al-Hadi
author_facet Bakht, Muhammad Paend
Haji Mohd, Mohd Norzali
Ibrahim, Babul Salam KSM Kader
Khan, Nuzhat
Sheikh, Usman Ullah
Ab Rahman, Ab Al-Hadi
author_sort Bakht, Muhammad Paend
building UTHM Library
collection Institutional Repository
content_provider Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia
content_source UTHM Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
description Accurate prediction of power output from a photovoltaic (PV) system is crucial for ensuring operational efficiency. This study addresses the challenge of predicting plant-scale PV power output by integrating automated machine learning (Auto-ML) with explainable modeling techniques. The integrated approach enhances predictive accuracy, supporting well-informed decision-making in power systems through data-driven frameworks. Real PV power data from a plant at Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) and five key weather parameters were used in this experiment. Auto-ML was employed to automatically identify the best-performing models tailored to the dataset. The top four performing models, achieving the highest predictive accuracies, were identified as Extra Tree (91% accuracy), Random Forest (85%), XGBoost (75%), and Decision Tree (68%) for further analysis. Their performance was then validated against commonly used artificial neural networks (ANN) and support vector machines (SVM) using multiple evaluation metrics including prediction accuracy, error rates, and interpretability. The results clearly demonstrate the superiority of the proposed approach across all performance metrics. For practical applications, a novel data mining method is also proposed to identify primary environmental drivers of PV performance using bivariate data analysis. Additionally, the model-based role of each parameter in the machine learning (ML) context is assessed using additivity of feature importance to uncover the underlying predictive mechanism of each ML model. This study establishes an advanced and powerful framework combining Auto-ML and explainable AI for predictive modeling of PV power output. It sets new standards for significantly improved operational decisions and a broader integration of AI in renewable energy forecasting for data-driven optimization in power systems.
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spelling my.uthm.eprints-126692025-06-05T07:21:45Z http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/12669/ Advanced automated machine learning framework for photovoltaic power output prediction using environmental parameters and SHAP interpretability Bakht, Muhammad Paend Haji Mohd, Mohd Norzali Ibrahim, Babul Salam KSM Kader Khan, Nuzhat Sheikh, Usman Ullah Ab Rahman, Ab Al-Hadi TK Electrical engineering. Electronics Nuclear engineering Accurate prediction of power output from a photovoltaic (PV) system is crucial for ensuring operational efficiency. This study addresses the challenge of predicting plant-scale PV power output by integrating automated machine learning (Auto-ML) with explainable modeling techniques. The integrated approach enhances predictive accuracy, supporting well-informed decision-making in power systems through data-driven frameworks. Real PV power data from a plant at Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) and five key weather parameters were used in this experiment. Auto-ML was employed to automatically identify the best-performing models tailored to the dataset. The top four performing models, achieving the highest predictive accuracies, were identified as Extra Tree (91% accuracy), Random Forest (85%), XGBoost (75%), and Decision Tree (68%) for further analysis. Their performance was then validated against commonly used artificial neural networks (ANN) and support vector machines (SVM) using multiple evaluation metrics including prediction accuracy, error rates, and interpretability. The results clearly demonstrate the superiority of the proposed approach across all performance metrics. For practical applications, a novel data mining method is also proposed to identify primary environmental drivers of PV performance using bivariate data analysis. Additionally, the model-based role of each parameter in the machine learning (ML) context is assessed using additivity of feature importance to uncover the underlying predictive mechanism of each ML model. This study establishes an advanced and powerful framework combining Auto-ML and explainable AI for predictive modeling of PV power output. It sets new standards for significantly improved operational decisions and a broader integration of AI in renewable energy forecasting for data-driven optimization in power systems. elsevier 2025 Article PeerReviewed text en http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/12669/1/J19346_940469a52b76749b933003eaa7a17848.pdf Bakht, Muhammad Paend and Haji Mohd, Mohd Norzali and Ibrahim, Babul Salam KSM Kader and Khan, Nuzhat and Sheikh, Usman Ullah and Ab Rahman, Ab Al-Hadi (2025) Advanced automated machine learning framework for photovoltaic power output prediction using environmental parameters and SHAP interpretability. Results in Engineering, 25. pp. 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2024.103838
spellingShingle TK Electrical engineering. Electronics Nuclear engineering
Bakht, Muhammad Paend
Haji Mohd, Mohd Norzali
Ibrahim, Babul Salam KSM Kader
Khan, Nuzhat
Sheikh, Usman Ullah
Ab Rahman, Ab Al-Hadi
Advanced automated machine learning framework for photovoltaic power output prediction using environmental parameters and SHAP interpretability
title Advanced automated machine learning framework for photovoltaic power output prediction using environmental parameters and SHAP interpretability
title_full Advanced automated machine learning framework for photovoltaic power output prediction using environmental parameters and SHAP interpretability
title_fullStr Advanced automated machine learning framework for photovoltaic power output prediction using environmental parameters and SHAP interpretability
title_full_unstemmed Advanced automated machine learning framework for photovoltaic power output prediction using environmental parameters and SHAP interpretability
title_short Advanced automated machine learning framework for photovoltaic power output prediction using environmental parameters and SHAP interpretability
title_sort advanced automated machine learning framework for photovoltaic power output prediction using environmental parameters and shap interpretability
topic TK Electrical engineering. Electronics Nuclear engineering
url http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/12669/1/J19346_940469a52b76749b933003eaa7a17848.pdf
http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/12669/
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2024.103838
url_provider http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/