Navigation:  Meteo Database > Import known format meteo data > PVGIS meteorological Data

 

----- This source of Monthly solar data will not be available after October 2018. PVGIS data are now only accessible on creation of a new geographical site (Go to Creation of a new site > Import PVGIS TMY) ------

 

PVGIS (Photovoltaic Geographical Information System, http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvgis/) is a research, demonstration and policy-support instrument for solar energy resource, part of the SOLAREC action at the JRC Renewable Energies unit of the European Communities (Ispra).

You will find a complete description of this project at http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvgis/info/faq.htm

 

PVGIS gives monthly irradiance data need to be further transformed to an hourly base for PVSyst.

 

The service is available for free.

 

 

Details of the Method

The GIs database covers two regions in different ways:
 

European subcontinent:

·Geographical data:
- digital elevation model : 1 km x 1 km for horizon evaluation, derived from the USGS SRTM-30 data,
- administrative boundaries,
- CORINE land cover with grid resolution 100mx100x, cities, etc.

·Spatially Continuous Climatic data: monthly global irradiation (from 566 ground meteorological stations, 1981-1990 averages from the ESRA project), diffuse/global ratio, air temperature, Linke atmospheric turbidity (useful for a future improvement of the clear day model).

·Other computed values, not directly useful for PVsyst (optimal inclination angle for PV collectors, yearly irradiations on different inclined planes, PV yield, etc).

 

Mediterranean basin, Africa and South-West Asia

·Geographical data: elevation model (1 km x 1 km or 2 km x 2 km), administrative boundaries, Global land cover, cities, etc.

·Spatially Continuous Climatic data: monthly global irradiation, from Helioclim-1 database (Ecole des Mines de Paris/Armines), based on Meteosat images (1985-2004) and the HelioSat-2 method, with resolution of about 30x30 km². Air temperature, Linke turbidity.

Several data sources of different kinds have been used to develop this database, which are listed on http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvgis/info/faq.htm#data You will also find here an estimation of the global accuracy of the results.

Owing to their continuous structure, the main results and parameters of this project are often presented as coloured maps at regional or continental level

 

New database Climate-SAF PVGIS

These data are based on calculations from satellite images performed by CM-SAF (Geostationnary Meteosat and Polar EUMetSat). The database represents a total of 12 years of data. From the first generation of Meteosat satellites (Meteosat 5-7), known as MFG, there are data from 1998 to 2005 and from the second-generation Meteosat satellites (known as MSG) there are data from June 2006 to May 2010. The spatial resolution is 1.5 arc-minutes (about 3km right below the satellite at 0° N, 0° W). The coverage extends from 0° N (equator) to 58° N and from 15° W to 35° E. These data are more representative of the last years climate, and show often higher irradiations than the "Classic" PVGIS.  

See   http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvgis/apps4/databasehelp_en.html  for further details.