diff --git a/docs/sphinx/source/whatsnew/v0.9.2.rst b/docs/sphinx/source/whatsnew/v0.9.2.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4f2dbce094
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/sphinx/source/whatsnew/v0.9.2.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+.. _whatsnew_0920:
+
+v0.9.2 (TBD)
+-----------------------
+
+Deprecations
+~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+Enhancements
+~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+Bug fixes
+~~~~~~~~~
+* :py:func:`pvlib.irradiance.get_total_irradiance` and
+  :py:func:`pvlib.solarposition.spa_python` now raise an error instead
+  of silently ignoring unknown parameters (:ghpull:`1437`)
+  
+Testing
+~~~~~~~
+
+Documentation
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+Requirements
+~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+Contributors
+~~~~~~~~~~~~
+* Naman Priyadarshi (:ghuser:`Naman-Priyadarshi`)
diff --git a/pvlib/irradiance.py b/pvlib/irradiance.py
index c5c3b1c095..3de4d96f65 100644
--- a/pvlib/irradiance.py
+++ b/pvlib/irradiance.py
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ def get_total_irradiance(surface_tilt, surface_azimuth,
                          dni, ghi, dhi, dni_extra=None, airmass=None,
                          albedo=.25, surface_type=None,
                          model='isotropic',
-                         model_perez='allsitescomposite1990', **kwargs):
+                         model_perez='allsitescomposite1990'):
     r"""
     Determine total in-plane irradiance and its beam, sky diffuse and ground
     reflected components, using the specified sky diffuse irradiance model.
diff --git a/pvlib/location.py b/pvlib/location.py
index 104fccac89..ddd2d1b96a 100644
--- a/pvlib/location.py
+++ b/pvlib/location.py
@@ -231,8 +231,7 @@ def get_clearsky(self, times, model='ineichen', solar_position=None,
             pressure = atmosphere.alt2pres(self.altitude)
 
         if solar_position is None:
-            solar_position = self.get_solarposition(times, pressure=pressure,
-                                                    **kwargs)
+            solar_position = self.get_solarposition(times, pressure=pressure)
 
         apparent_zenith = solar_position['apparent_zenith']
         apparent_elevation = solar_position['apparent_elevation']
diff --git a/pvlib/solarposition.py b/pvlib/solarposition.py
index 0e4a120e6e..93465607bb 100644
--- a/pvlib/solarposition.py
+++ b/pvlib/solarposition.py
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ def _spa_python_import(how):
 
 def spa_python(time, latitude, longitude,
                altitude=0, pressure=101325, temperature=12, delta_t=67.0,
-               atmos_refract=None, how='numpy', numthreads=4, **kwargs):
+               atmos_refract=None, how='numpy', numthreads=4):
     """
     Calculate the solar position using a python implementation of the
     NREL SPA algorithm.