Primary Uses
- Utility-scale prospecting
- Site assessment
- Transmission planning
With annual and monthly Solar GIS Data Layers, you have access to the most advanced global solar dataset ever created. Our scientifically derived data layers integrate spatial solar resource data directly into your own GIS mapping software for in-depth analysis, including site prospecting, sorting, and optimal selection.
By layering 3TIER Solar or Wind GIS Layers with each other you can get a complete sense of your resource potential. You can also use third-party layers, such as land ownership, population density, soil type, topography, and transmission and transportation infrastructure, to factor in many of the variables that affect the viability of a site. This enables you to identify promising locations more quickly, as well as understand potentially fatal flaws at a proposed site early in the prospecting process.
Derived from a consistent, global dataset, 3TIER's Solar GIS Layers enable reliable point-to-point comparisons and a clear picture of the risks and opportunities for every potential CSP or PV site in your portfolio. 3TIER was the first to create a high-resolution (approximately 3 km) solar resource dataset with global coverage. Our dataset is based on over a decade of high resolution satellite imagery using proven techniques, state-of-the-art satellite processing algorithms, and publicly available observational data.
GIS Data Layers are obtainable for annual and monthly values of GHI (Global Horizontal Irradiance), DNI (Direct Normal Irradiance), and DIF (Diffuse Horizontal Irradiance) and are available in several formats to ensure easy data upload into almost any GIS program.
3TIER's Solar GIS Data Layers are available in both annual and monthly mean values for:
3TIER produced the first global solar irradiance map and time-series dataset at roughly three times the resolution of previous US solar datasets and at thirty times the resolution of global datasets available from NASA. Based on over a decade of satellite imagery and cutting-edge technology, our uniform methodology is supported by a large scientific and research community and results in a consistent map and dataset, enabling more accurate point-to-point comparisons.
The dataset is based on actual, half-hourly, high-resolution visible satellite imagery observations via the broadband visible wavelength channel at a 2 arc minute resolution. These data have been processed to hourly GHI, DNI, and DIF values. 3TIER processes the satellite images based on a combination of in-house research and algorithms published in peer- reviewed scientific literature. These algorithms contain parameters and coefficients that are based on empirical fits to observational data. The specific satellites and length of time varies slightly by region due to differences in the availability of data from region to region. See the chart below for more details.
| Regions | Satellites | Temporal Coverage |
| Western Hemisphere | GOES 8 - 13 |
15 years (January 1997 - present) |
| South Asia & Middle East | Meteosat 5, Meteosat 7 |
13 years (January 1999 – last quarter) |
| East Asia & Oceania | GMS 5, GOES 9, MTSAT 1-2 |
13 years (December 1998 – present) |
| Europe & Africa | Meteosat 7, Meteosat 9 |
15 years (July 1998 – last quarter) |
To develop and validate our model, 3TIER used observations from:
Find our validation papers here.
If you are unfamiliar with the technical terminology on this page, please visit our Glossary for more information.
