Comparative analysis of deep neural network architectures for renewable energy forecasting: enhancing accuracy with meteorological and time-based features
Sunawar Khan, Tehseen Mazhar, Muhammad Amir Khan, Tariq Shahzad, Wasim Ahmad, Afsha Bibi, Mamoon M. Saeed, Habib Hamam
Abstract
This study evaluates and differentiates five advanced machine learning models—LSTM, GRU, CNN-LSTM, Random Forest, and SVR—aimed at precisely estimating solar and wind power generation to enhance renewable energy forecasting. LSTM achieved a remarkable Mean Squared Error (MSE) of 0.010 and R 2 score of 0.90, highlighting its proficiency in capturing intricate temporal relationships. GRU closely followed, demonstrating potential as a viable option due to its remarkable combination of computational efficiency and accuracy (MSE = 0.015, R 2 = 0.88). In datasets abundant in spatial correlations, the CNN-LSTM hybrid demonstrated its utility by providing novel insights into spatial–temporal patterns; nonetheless, it lagged considerably in accuracy, with a mean squared error (MSE) of 0.020 and a R 2 of 0.87. Conversely, traditional models demonstrated a reliable albeit less dynamic ability to elucidate the complexities of renewable energy data; for instance, Random Forest exhibited a mean squared error (MSE) of 0.025, while Support Vector Regression (SVR) recorded an MSE of 0.030. The results affirm that deep learning architectures, particularly LSTM, offer a transformative method for renewable energy forecasting, hence enhancing accuracy and reliability in energy management systems.