Skip to main content

Global solar atlas

The Global Solar Atlas provides a summary of solar power potential and solar resources globally. It is offered as a free service to governments, developers and the general public, and allows users to quickly obtain data and carry out a simple electricity output calculation for any location covered by the solar resource database.

Source globalsolaratlas.info

This map represents average yearly/daily potential electricity production from a 1 kW-peak grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant.

The PV system configuration consists of ground-based, free-standing structures with crystalline-silicon PV modules mounted at a fixed position towards the equator, with optimum tilt to maximize yearly energy yield.

Use of high-efficiency inverters is assumed. The solar electricity calculation is based on high-resolution Solargis data and PV modeling software. The model takes into account solar radiation, air temperature, and terrain, to simulate the energy conversion and losses in the PV modules and other components of a PV power plant. The cumulative effect of losses due to dirt, snow and ice on the PV modules, and the losses from cables, inverters and transformers, is 9%. The power plant availability is considered to be 100%.

The Solargis calculation of solar radiation is based on the use of data from five geostationary meteorological satellites (operated by EUMETSAT, NOAA and JMA), and data from global atmospheric and meteorological models (operated by ECMWF and NOAA).

Air temperature is derived from the meteorological models operated by NOAA.

The underlying data is calculated at 10,15 and 30-minute time steps for a period comprising the most recent years, from 1994/1999/2007 (depending on the geographical region) up to the present. The spatial resolution of the grid data in this map is approximately 4 km. The underlying data is available globally, between latitudes 60°N and 45°S, and it is updated in real time. The model performance has been validated by measurements from 200+ high-quality solar monitoring stations. The uncertainty of Solargis yearly values (considering 80% of occurrence) is in the range of ±4 to ±8% for global horizontal irradiation (GHI) and in the range of ±8 to ±15% for direct normal irradiation (DNI).

Via globalsolaratlas.info

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.


Popular posts from this blog

Find cities with similar climate

This map has been created using The Global environmental stratification. The Global environmental stratification (GEnS), based on statistical clustering of bioclimate data (WorldClim). GEnS, consists of 125 strata, which have been aggregated into 18 global environmental zones (labeled A to R) based on the dendrogram. Interactive map >> Via www.vividmaps.com Related posts: -  Find cities with similar climate 2050 -  How global warming will impact 6000+ cities around the world?

Mapping the Hottest Temperatures Ever Recorded on Earth

 When summer arrives, it brings not only vacation season but also some of the most extreme heat waves across the globe. While many people associate summer with warm, sunny days, some regions endure scorching temperatures that push the limits of human endurance. To put these extremes into perspective, we’ve mapped the highest temperatures ever recorded in countries around the world. The maps below, created by Vivid Maps , illustrate these record-breaking temperatures and the patterns of extreme heat across the globe. The Hottest Temperature on Record According to historical weather data, the highest reliably recorded temperature on Earth is 56.7°C (134°F) , measured in Death Valley, California , on July 10, 1913 . However, an even higher temperature of 58°C (136.4°F) was reportedly recorded in El Azizia, Libya , on September 13, 1922 . While this Libyan record stood for decades, some meteorologists have questioned its accuracy due to inconsistencies in measurement methods at the ti...

How Cold Can It Get? The Lowest Temperatures Ever Recorded, Mapped

We often talk about record heat , especially in the context of climate change. But on the flip side, our planet also experiences cold so extreme it defies belief—temperatures that can flash-freeze exposed skin and halt life as we know it. These are not just numbers on thermometers; they’re snapshots of how Earth's atmosphere behaves under specific conditions—altitude, wind patterns, and location far from the moderating effects of oceans. The coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth? That title goes to Vostok Station in Antarctica, where scientists measured a bone-cracking −89.2°C (−128.6°F) on July 21, 1983. Located on the East Antarctic Plateau, Vostok is more than 1,000 kilometers from the South Pole and sits atop about 3.7 kilometers (2.3 miles) of ice. It’s isolated, dry, and high—three ingredients that make for perfect deep freeze conditions. The world map below created by VividMaps shows the lowest temperature ever recorded by country. The Coldest Inhabited Place on Earth...