SolarAnywhere® Data can be downloaded or emailed in spreadsheet-friendly, comma separated value (CSV) files from the SolarAnywhere data website. SolarAnywhere time-series, typical year and probability of exceedance files are produced in one of two basic formats: SolarAnywhere and TMY3.
Both SolarAnywhere irradiance file formats are compatible with commonly used PV simulation software products such as PVsyst, NREL System Advisor Model (SAM) and Aurora Solar’s Helioscope. You can self-register for no-cost access to SolarAnywhere Public to view and test each of these formats. Here are descriptions of each:
- TMY3: The TMY3 format used by SolarAnywhere is described in the Users Manual for TMY3 Data Sets published by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Note that SolarAnywhere TMY3 files only include the fields described below; the remaining fields as described in the NREL users guide are unfilled. For convenience, the TMY3 header also includes the average elevation of the selected location.
- SolarAnywhere: The native SolarAnywhere file format contains the following fields in the order they are presented.
Fields
| Field Name | Description |
Included in TMY3 Format? |
|---|---|---|
| ObservationTime(LST) | Local standard time not adjusted for Daylight Savings, at the selected geographic location | Yes |
| Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) W/m2 | Total irradiance on a horizontal surface on earth | Yes |
| Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) W/m2 | Irradiance on a surface normal to the sun that arrives on a direct path from the sun | Yes |
| AmbientTemperature (deg C) | Ambient air temperature at 2-meter height | Yes |
| WindSpeed 10m (m/s) | Wind speed at 10-meter height | Yes |
| WindSpeed 100m (m/s) | Wind speed at 100-meter height | No |
| WindDirection 10m (deg) | Wind direction at 10-meter height | Yes |
| WindDirection 100m (deg) | Wind direction at 100-meter height | Yes |
| WindGust 10m (m/s) | Wind gust speed at 10-meter height | Yes |
| Relative Humidity (%) | Moisture content of the air at the ambient temperature expressed as a percentage | No |
| Liquid Precipitation (kg/m2) | Kilograms per square meter of liquid precipitation | No |
| Solid Precipitation (kg/m2) | Kilograms per square meter of solid precipitation | No |
| Snow Depth (m) | Meters of compacted snow on the ground | No |
| Clear Sky GHI | Total irradiance on a horizontal surface on earth that does not arrive on a direct path from the sun calculated prior to taking cloud cover into consideration | No |
| Clear Sky DNI | Total irradiance on a surface normal to the sun that arrives on a direct path from the sun calculated prior to taking cloud cover into consideration | No |
| IrradianceObservationType | Two-character code indicating the model used to generate the irradiance value (historical, real-time or forecast) and whether the value was observed, missing, or filled, or estimated; see a list of the codes here | No |
| LeadTime | The number of hours between the start of the forecast calculation, and the forecast target hour | No |
| DataVersion | SolarAnywhere model version | Yes |
| ObservationTime(GMT) | Greenwich mean time for the observation | Yes |
| Diffuse Horizontal Irradiance (DIF) W/m2 | Irradiance on a horizontal surface on earth that does not arrive on a direct path from the sun | No |
| AmbientTemperatureObservationType | One-letter code indicating if the ambient temperature value was observed, missing or filled with the selected missing data fill option. See a breakdown of the codes here | No |
| WindObservationType | One-letter code indicating if the wind value was observed, missing or filled with the selected missing data fill; see a list of the codes here | No |
| Albedo | Fraction of GHI reflected off the ground expressed as a decimal, e.g., 0.20 | No |
| Particulate Matter 10 (μg/m3) | Micrograms of small particles and liquid droplets with diameters less than or equal to 10 micrometers suspended in the air per cubic meter of air | No |
| Particulate Matter 2.5 (μg/m3) | Micrograms of small particles and liquid droplets with diameters less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers suspended in the air per cubic meter of air | No |
Fields – MeteoLens™
| Field Name | Description | File Type(s) Supported |
|---|---|---|
| Start Of Period (LST) | Period start time in local standard time |
Annual Summary,
Monthly Summary, Daily Summary |
| End of Period (LST) | Period end time in local standard time |
Annual Summary,
Monthly Summary, Daily Summary |
| Start Of Period (GMT) | Period start time in GMT |
Annual Summary,
Monthly Summary, Daily Summary |
| End of Period (GMT) | Period end time in GMT |
Annual Summary,
Monthly Summary, Daily Summary |
| Observation Time (LST) | Local standard time not adjusted for Daylight Savings, at the selected geographic location |
Time Series,
Temperature-Weighted Year |
| Partial Period | Indicates whether the period is partial or full |
Annual Summary,
Monthly Summary, Daily Summary |
| Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) Wh/m2 | Total irradiance on a horizontal surface on earth | All |
| Clear Sky GHI (W/m2) | Total irradiance on a horizontal surface on earth calculated prior to taking cloud cover into consideration | All |
| Wind Speed (m/s) | Wind speed at 10-meter height | All |
| Relative Humidity (%) | Moisture content of the air at the ambient temperature expressed as a percentage | All |
| Surface Temperature (deg C) | Average surface air temperature | All |
| Surface Temperature Minimum (deg C) | Minimum surface temperature |
Annual Summary,
Monthly Summary, Daily Summary |
| Surface Temperature Maximum (deg C) | Maximum surface temperature |
Annual Summary,
Monthly Summary, Daily Summary |
| Total Precipitation (kg/m2) | Total kilograms per square meter of liquid precipitation | All |
| Solid Precipitation (kg/m2) | Total kilograms per square meter of solid precipitation | All |
| Field Name | Description |
|---|---|
| ObservationTime (LST) | Local standard time not adjusted for Daylight Savings, at the selected geographic location |
| Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) W/m2 | Total irradiance on a horizontal surface on earth |
| Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) W/m2 | Irradiance on a surface normal to the sun that arrives on a direct path from the sun |
| Smoke Impact on Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) W/m2 | GHI lost due to smoke |
| Smoke Impact on Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) W/m2 | DNI lost due to smoke |
| Field Name | Description | File Type(s) Supported |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Calendar date | All |
| Wind Gust - Maximum (m/s) | Maximum wind gust (10m) for the Date period |
Wind Gust Annual Summary, Wind Gust Monthly Summary |
| Insolation - Total (kWh/m2) | Total solar energy for the Date period |
Irradiance Annual History, Irradiance Monthly History |
| Daily Insolation - Maximum (kWh/m2) | Maximum solar energy for the Date period |
Irradiance Annual History, Irradiance Monthly History |
| Daily Insolation - Minimum (kWh/m2) | Minimum solar energy for the Date period |
Irradiance Annual History, Irradiance Monthly History |
| Daily Insolation - Average (kWh/m2) | Average solar energy for the Date period |
Irradiance Annual History, Irradiance Monthly History |
| Irradiance - Maximum (W/m2) | Maximum irradiance for the Date period |
Irradiance Annual History, Irradiance Monthly History |
| Sunny Days (Frequency) | Number of sunny days for the Date period |
Irradiance Annual History, Irradiance Monthly History |
| Cloudy Days (Frequency) | Number of cloudy days for the Date period |
Irradiance Annual History, Irradiance Monthly History |
| Liquid Precipitation - Total (kg/m2) | Total precipitation for the Date period |
Liquid Precipitation Annual History, Liquid Precipitation Monthly History |
| Liquid Precipitation - Maximum Daily (kg/m2) | Maximum precipitation for the Date period |
Liquid Precipitation Annual History, Liquid Precipitation Monthly History |
| Liquid Precipitation - Maximum Rate of Rainfall (kg/m2/hour) | Maximum rate of liquid precipitation for the Date period |
Liquid Precipitation Annual History, Liquid Precipitation Monthly History |
| Liquid Precipitation - Days With Rain (Frequency) | Number of rainy days for the Date period |
Liquid Precipitation Annual History, Liquid Precipitation Monthly History |
| Liquid Precipitation - Days Without Rain (Frequency) | Number of dry days for the Date period |
Liquid Precipitation Annual History, Liquid Precipitation Monthly History |
| Temperature - Maximum (Celsius) | Maximum temperature for the Date period |
Temperature Annual History,
Temperature Monthly History |
| Temperature - Minimum (Celsius) | Minimum temperature for the Date period |
Temperature Annual History,
Temperature Monthly History |
| Temperature - Average (Celsius) | Average temperature for the Date period |
Temperature Annual History,
Temperature Monthly History |
| Temperature - Max Daily Range (Celsius) | Maximum daily temperature range within the aggregation period |
Temperature Annual History,
Temperature Monthly History |
| Temperature - Days Over 40 (Frequency) | Number of days above 40°C |
Temperature Annual History,
Temperature Monthly History |
| Temperature - Days Under 40 (Frequency) | Number of days below 40°F |
Temperature Annual History,
Temperature Monthly History |
| Temperature - Max Temperature Sustained Over 3 Hours (Celsius) | Maximum 3‑hour sustained surface temperature |
Temperature Annual History,
Temperature Monthly History |
| Temperature - Min Temperature Sustained Over 3 Hours (Celsius) | Minimum 3‑hour sustained surface temperature |
Temperature Annual History,
Temperature Monthly History |
Meta Data
The first row in SolarAnywhere-format data files contains standard TMY3 format header information, plus a summary comment. From left to right, the columns correspond to:
- Site identifier code – Because SolarAnywhere data covers areas where no TMY3 site exists, we report all site identifier codes as ‘0.’
- Site name – This is the site name specified by the user before downloading the data. If a site name is not specified, this will default to the coordinates of the site. Edit the site name by clicking the pencil icon that appears beside it when you mouse-over the current name.
- Station state – Always listed as “NA” since our data tiles can include multiple states.
- Site time zone – Listed in hours offset from GMT; time zones west of Greenwich are negative (e.g., PST is 8 hours behind UTC, therefore PST is listed as -8).
- Site latitude – In decimal degrees.
- Site longitude – In decimal degrees.
- Site elevation – In meters.
- Summary comment:
- Data version – The SolarAnywhere data version.
- File type – Typical Year, Timeseries or PXX (1-99) file types.
- Latitude/Longitude resolution – Spatial resolution of the selected tile in decimal degrees.
- Time resolution – Period between data points.
- Averaging method – Will always be end-of-period.
- Copyright information
File Naming
Files downloaded from the SolarAnywhere data website will have one of the following naming conventions:
Typical Year
{Site Name} SolarAnywhere Typical {GHI or DNI} Year Lat_{Site Latitude} Lon_{Site Longitude} {Format}.csv
| SolarAnywhere format | Montana Site SolarAnywhere Typical GHI Year Lat_46_365 Lon_-108_275 SA format.csv |
| TMY3 format | Montana Site SolarAnywhere Typical GHI Year Lat_46_365 Lon_-108_275 TMY3 format.csv |
Average Year Summary
{Site Name} SolarAnywhere Average Year Summary Lat_{Site Latitude} Lon_{Site Longitude}.csv
Example: Montana Site SolarAnywhere Average Year Summary Lat_46_365 Lon_-108_275.csv
Time Series
{Site Name} SolarAnywhere Time Series {Date Range} Lat_{Site Latitude} Lon_{Site Longitude} {Format}.csv
| SolarAnywhere format | Montana Site SolarAnywhere Time Series 19980101 to 20210526 Lat_46_365 Lon_-108_275 SA format.csv |
| TMY3 format | Montana Site SolarAnywhere Time Series 19980101 to 20210526 Lat_46_365 Lon_-108_275 TMY3 format.csv |
Aggregated Time Series
{Site Name} SolarAnywhere {Aggregation Period} Aggregated Time Series {Date Range} Lat_{Site Latitude} Lon_{Site Longitude} SA Format.csv
Example: Montana Site SolarAnywhere Monthly Aggregated Time Series 19980101 to 20210526 Lat_46_365 Lon_-108_275 SA Format.csv
Probability of Exceedance
{Site Name} SolarAnywhere {Probability of Exceedance Level} Lat_{Site Latitude} Lon_{Site Longitude} {Format}.csv
| SolarAnywhere format | Montana Site SolarAnywhere P85 Lat_46_365 Lon_-108_275 SA format.csv |
| TMY3 format | Montana Site SolarAnywhere P85 Lat_46_365 Lon_-108_275 TMY3 format.csv |
Far Shading
{Site Name} SolarAnywhere Far Shading Lat_{Site Latitude} Lon_{Site Longitude}.csv
Example: Texas SolarAnywhere Far Shading Lat_29_915 Lon_-94_955.csv
MeteoLens – Climate Projections
Projected Temperature-Weighted Year (8760)
- {Site Name} SolarAnywhere Climate Projections Temperature-Weighted Year {Climate Scenario} {Start Year} to {End Year} Lat_{Site Latitude} Lon_{Site Longitude}.csv
- Example: Texas SolarAnywhere Climate Projections Temperature-Weighted Year SSP3-7.0 2015 to 2099 Lat_29_915 Lon_-94_955.csv
Time Series (Hourly)
- {Site Name} SolarAnywhere Climate Projections Time Series {Climate Scenario} {Start Year} to {End Year} Lat_{Site Latitude} Lon_{Site Longitude}.csv
- Example: Texas SolarAnywhere Climate Projections Time Series SSP3-7.0 2015 to 2099 Lat_29_915 Lon_-94_955.csv
Daily Summary
- {Site Name} SolarAnywhere Climate Projections Daily Summary {Climate Scenario} {Start Year} to {End Year} Lat_{Site Latitude} Lon_{Site Longitude}.csv
- Example: Texas SolarAnywhere Climate Projections Daily Summary SSP1-2.6 2015 to 2099 Lat_29_915 Lon_-94_955.csv
Monthly Summary
- {Site Name} SolarAnywhere Climate Projections Monthly Summary {Climate Scenario} {Start Year} to {End Year} Lat_{Site Latitude} Lon_{Site Longitude}.csv
- Example: Texas SolarAnywhere Climate Projections Monthly Summary SSP1-2.6 2015 to 2099 Lat_29_915 Lon_-94_955.csv
Annual Summary
- {Site Name} SolarAnywhere Climate Projections Annual Summary {Climate Scenario} {Start Year} to {End Year} Lat_{Site Latitude} Lon_{Site Longitude}.csv
- Example: Texas SolarAnywhere Climate Projections Annual Summary SSP1-2.6 2015 to 2099 Lat_29_915 Lon_-94_955.csv
MeteoLens – Smoke Impact
{Site Name} SolarAnywhere Smoke Impact Time Series {Date Range} Lat_{Site Latitude} Lon_{Site Longitude}.csv
Example: Texas SolarAnywhere Smoke Impact Time Series 20240104 to 20260404 Lat_29_915 Lon_-94_955.csv
MeteoLens – Extended History
Irradiance – Annual
- {Site Name} SolarAnywhere Irradiance Annual History Lat_{Site Latitude} Lon_{Site Longitude}.csv
- Example: Texas SolarAnywhere Irradiance Annual History Lat_29_915 Lon_-94_955.csv
Irradiance – Monthly
- {Site Name} SolarAnywhere Irradiance Monthly History Lat_{Site Latitude} Lon_{Site Longitude}.csv
- Example: Texas SolarAnywhere Irradiance Monthly History Lat_29_915 Lon_-94_955.csv
Liquid Precipitation – Annual
- {Site Name} SolarAnywhere Liquid Precipitation Annual History Lat_{Site Latitude} Lon_{Site Longitude}.csv
- Example: Texas SolarAnywhere Liquid Precipitation Annual History Lat_29_915 Lon_-94_955.csv
Liquid Precipitation – Monthly
- {Site Name} SolarAnywhere Liquid Precipitation Monthly History Lat_{Site Latitude} Lon_{Site Longitude}.csv
- Example: Texas SolarAnywhere Liquid Precipitation Monthly History Lat_29_915 Lon_-94_955.csv
Temperature – Annual
- {Site Name} SolarAnywhere Temperature Annual History Lat_{Site Latitude} Lon_{Site Longitude}.csv
- Example: Texas SolarAnywhere Temperature Annual History Lat_29_915 Lon_-94_955.csv
Temperature – Monthly
- {Site Name} SolarAnywhere Temperature Monthly History Lat_{Site Latitude} Lon_{Site Longitude}.csv
- Example: Texas SolarAnywhere Temperature Monthly History Lat_29_915 Lon_-94_955.csv
Wind Gust – Annual
- {Site Name} SolarAnywhere Wind Gust Annual History Lat_{Site Latitude} Lon_{Site Longitude}.csv
- Example: Texas SolarAnywhere Wind Gust Annual History Lat_29_915 Lon_-94_955.csv
Wind Gust – Monthly
- {Site Name} SolarAnywhere Wind Gust Monthly History Lat_{Site Latitude} Lon_{Site Longitude}.csv
- Example: Texas SolarAnywhere Wind Gust Monthly History Lat_29_915 Lon_-94_955.csv