3TIER has completed simulations for a series of global datasets for wind, solar, and hydro resources. To create the global resource ranks we took all the pixels from our 2-arc minute datasets and normalized them by sorting the number of pixels into 100 equal "bins," making the number of pixels in each bin the same. In other words, the number of pixels (i.e. global locations) that received a rank of 1% is equal to the number of pixels that received a rank of 100%.

The result is a globally consistent rank for any given location relative to all other locations worldwide, which allows more reliable point-to-point comparisons. Consequently, if your selected location receives a rank of 92%, it means that this location is in the top ten windiest, sunniest, or rainiest spots on the globe. Similarly, if your wind rank is 28%, you are in the lowest third, compared to the rest of the globe.

Due to the cross renewable nature of these datasets and the consistent method for creating the ranks, these percentages can help guide broad planning for large scale renewable energy development, smart grid integration, transmission line corridors, and infrastructure planning.

For more information on our global datasets, select your renewable resource below:

• Global coverage between 60° S and 70° N
• Spatial resolution of approximately 5 km
• Based on 10-year mesoscale WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) model run

• Global coverage between 50° S to 60° N
• Spatial resolution of 2 arc minutes (approximately 3 km)
• Based on 10 to 13 years of satellite data with continual updates

• Global coverage
• Spatial resolution of 1/8 degrees
• Based on 15 years of data from the University of Delaware and NASA