A new model for collectable solar energy estimation via air temperature data is proposed. The model (to be called SEAT) runs in the standard way: first global solar irradiance is computed, and then a cloud cover correction is applied, to end with the summing up of the results for daily global solar irradiation. To address the issue that air temperature-based models are sensitive to their origin location, an adaptive algorithm is reported. Comparison of SEAT forecast with measured data from 15 European stations, located between 40 and 501 northern latitudes and altitudes lower than 500 m, shows an acceptable level of accuracy of the new model. The relative root mean square of monthly mean of daily global solar irradiation has been found between 0.055 and 0.112 for continental sites and between 0.064 and 0.156 for seacoast sites. The way of embedding cloudiness into the solar irradiance procedure calculation and the method of relating daily mean cloudiness with daily air temperature extremes are the main novelty features of SEAT. The approach for SEAT is described en detail to guide potential users either to further develop more complex similar models or to simplify them by particularization. Copyright (C) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.