Solargis Prospect update: Data for Scandinavia, model improvements, and more

Solargis team has released a new version of Prospect, a solution that provides quick access to reliable solar yield estimates. 

The update includes:
– Regular yearly data update,
– Data for Scandinavia up to parallel 65°N,
– Solar model improvements, and 
– Change in precipitation data source.  

1. Regular yearly data update

We've extended the calculation period for the long-term averages of solar resource parameters, PV power production, meteorological data and their derivatives with the year 2022. 

Depending on the region, Solargis Prospect calculates the solar resource parameters and PV power production for a period from 1994/1999/2005/2007/2018 to 2022, as shown on the map below:


The long-term averages of the other meteorological parameters are calculated globally for the period 1994-2022.

2. Data for Scandinavia available up to parallel 65°N

The new version of Prospect extends the solar resource and PV power production data for Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Finland) up to parallel 65°N. Also, the long-term averages for solar resource parameters are calculated for a period 2005-2022 in this region.

3. Solar model improvements

Compared to the previous version of the Solargis Prospect database (calculated for a period up to 2021), some minor differences in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia have occurred. 

The trends reflect the regional variations of the solar resource in 2022. We provided more information in our blog published in the beginning of this year.

However, worth noting are the changes in the long-term averages of solar resources in America. These differences are induced by improvements of the solar model and updated archive of GOES satellite data with the aim to improve accuracy of the results.

For most of the areas in America, the long-term average of global horizontal irradiation (GHI) can be found lower by 0.2% - 1.0%. In the parts of Northeast Canada and West Amazonia, it exceeds 1.0%. 

For direct normal irradiation (DNI) the values are approximately doubled. See the maps below:

4. Precipitation data source changed

Precipitation (PREC) annual and monthly average totals are now provided from ERA5 climate reanalysis dataset (operated by ECMWF and provided by Copernicus Services). This means that the data source is now consistent with other meteorological variables. 

Previously, we used GPCC (operated by DWD) as the datasource. The difference between annual totals of two datasets is presented on the map below:



Learn more about Solargis Prospect and start a free trial to see all the changes in action.