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Data and Analysis Tools

NREL's GIS Team develops technology-specific GIS data maps for a variety of areas, as well as targeted analysis tools that can help determine availability of renewable energy resources. Some of this data and applicable tools are highlighted below.

Geographic Information System Data

NREL's GIS Team develops technology-specific GIS data maps for a variety of areas, including biomass, geothermal, solar, wind, and renewable hydrogen. The team has made some of our biomass, solar and wind datasets — in either high resolution or low resolution — available for download through this Web site. High-resolution datasets are available for specific states. Low-resolution datasets are available for Alaska, Hawaii, and the lower 48 states. Note: These datasets are designed to be used in GIS software applications.

National Wind Resource

This data provides an estimate of the annual average wind resource for the conterminous United States, with a resolution of 1/3 degree of latitude by 1/4 degree of longitude. For more information, please refer to the Wind Energy Resource Atlas of the United States.

Western Wind Resources Dataset

The Western Wind Resources Dataset provides energy professionals with a consistent set of wind profiles across the western United States. This dataset provides 10-minute time-series wind data for 2004, 2005 and 2006. More than 30,000 data points are available across the western United States.

More Information

For a list of available datasets and information on how these data were developed, access the Geographic Information System Data Background page.

Users can download data and tools from the GIS server by filling out a simple form with contact information, and accepting a disclaimer statement.

Analysis Tools

NREL also has developed several tools that allow users to apply these data. These tools help determine things such as how much electricity can be produced from solar systems on a house or what renewable resources are available in a specific country.

Geospatial Toolkit

NREL's GIS Team provides an analysis tool, the Geospatial Toolkit, a map-based software application with predefined queries that can be used for decision-making and policy analysis in addition to planning for future renewable energy projects. The Geospatial Toolkit is available for select countries. Note: Due to licensing issues, we are not able to provide a Geospatial Toolkit for the United States.

In My Backyard Tool

The In My Backyard (IMBY) tool estimates the electricity you can produce with a solar photovoltaic (PV) array or wind turbine at your home or business. Homeowners, businesses, and researchers use IMBY to develop quick estimates of renewable energy production at locations throughout the continental United States, Hawaii, and northern Mexico. IMBY uses a map-based interface to allow you to choose the exact location of your PV array or wind turbine. Based on your location, system size, and other variables, IMBY estimates the electricity production you can expect from your system.

PVWatts Calculator

NREL's PVWattsTM calculator determines the energy production and cost savings of grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) energy systems throughout the world. It allows homeowners, installers, manufacturers, and researchers to easily develop estimates of the performance of hypothetical PV installations. The PVWatts calculator works by creating hour-by-hour performance simulations that provide estimated monthly and annual energy production in kilowatts and energy value. Users can select a location and choose to use default values or their own system parameters for size, electric cost, array type, tilt angle, and azimuth angle. In addition, the PVWatts calculator can provide hourly performance data for the selected location.

Solar Power Prospector Tool

This interactive Solar Power Prospector mapping tool allows users to examine, distribute, and analyze solar resource data for the United States and northern Mexico. It assists in making decisions about optimal locations for CSP plants. Users can explore temporal and spatial aspects of NREL's solar resource data and can download the resource data for use outside of the tool—for example, in the Solar Advisor Model.

ArcExplorer Tool

Users can also access free GIS software to view our GIS data. The ArcExplorer tool can be downloaded at no charge from their site.

Here are instructions for using it with NREL's GIS data:

  1. Go to the ArcExplorer site and download and install the free ArcExplorer Software.

  2. Launch ArcExplorer and go to File, Open Content, Servers, and Create a New Connection with ArcGIS Server.

  3. In the Add New Connection box, type in http://mapserve3.nrel.gov/ArcGIS/Services.

  4. Expand the files to see what datasets are currently available and click on the data you want to add. Accept the defaults and the data set will be added.

Or, if you have downloaded some of the NREL GIS shapefiles, you can also bring them into ArcExplorer using the File, Open Content, Shapefiles option. You will not be able to classify the information, but you can select which field you would like visible by right-clicking on the content and setting the layer properties.

Use the online help tool available with the download for further information on how to use ArcExplorer.