pvlib-python
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Remove default air temperature and wind speed from ModelChain.run_model etc.
Currently, ModelChain.run_model
requires only irradiance as input. Air temperature and wind speed are optional, and if not provided, pvlib defaults to using 20C and 0m/s respectively. ModelChain method docstrings describe this behavior so it is not hidden from the user.
Although convenient for some use cases, supplying default air temperature and wind speed allows ModelChain.run_model() to complete without error if a user has data for e.g. air temperature in the weather
input but not in the temp_air
column. This behavior is less explicit than desired, IMO.
Similar concerns with ModelChain.run_model_from_poa
and ModelChain.run_model_from_effective_irradiance
.
Recommended solution: require air temperature and wind speed as inputs for ModelChain.run_model
methods, except in the case where cell_temperature
is provided as input.
Alternatives: leave as is.
We'd need to add some warning/deprecation machinery to address the change in required weather, so it would also be a good opportunity to change the name from temp_air
to air_temperature
or temperature
(#894) or temperature_air
(#1012).