The PVGIS-SARAH solar radiation data made available here have been derived based on the first version of the SARAH solar radiation data record provided by the EUMETSAT Climate Monitoring Satellite Application Facility (CM SAF). The main differences to the CM SAF SARAH data record are that PVGIS-SARAH uses the images of the two METEOSAT geostationary satellites (0° and 57°E) covering Europe, Africa and Asia, and that the hourly values are directly calculated from one individual satellite image. In addition to the data provided by CM SAF we are also providing PV-specific data records, i.e., the irradiance on optimally inclined surfaces. More information can be found in Urraca et al., 2017; 2018. The data available here are only long-term averages, calculated from hourly global and diffuse irradiance values over the period 2005-2016. At the easternmost extreme of the geographical extent (east of 120° E) the long-term average data are calculated for the period 1999-2006.
The data sets in this section all have these properties:
- Format: ESRI ascii grid
- Map projection: geographic (latitude/longitude), ellipsoid WGS84
- Grid cell size: 3' (0.05°)
- North: 62°30' N
- South: 40° S
- West: 65° W
- East: 128° E
- Rows: 2050 cells
- Columns: 3860 cells
- Missing value: -9999
Solar radiation data sets all consist of the average irradiance over the time period in question, taking into account both day and night-time, measured in W/m2. Optimum angle data sets are measured in degrees from horizontal for a plane facing the equator (south-facing in the northern hemisphere and vice-versa).
Available data sets
- Monthly average global irradiance on a horizontal surface (W/m2), period 2005-2016
- Yearly average global irradiance on a horizontal surface (W/m2), period 2005-2016
- Monthly average global irradiance on an optimally inclined surface (W/m2), period 2005-2016
- Yearly average global irradiance on an optimally inclined surface (W/m2), period 2005-2016
- Monthly average global irradiance on a two-axis sun-tracking surface, period 2005-2016
- Yearly average global irradiance on a two-axis sun-tracking surface (W/m2), period 2005-2016
- Optimal inclination angle for an equator-facing plane (degrees), period 2005-2016
Urraca, R.; Gracia Amillo, A.M.; Koubli, E.; Huld, T.; Trentmann, J.; Riihelä, A; Lindfors, A.V.; Palmer, D.; Gottschalg, R.; Antonanzas-Torres, F. 2017. "Extensive validation of CM SAF surface radiation products over Europe". Remote Sensing of Environment, 199, 171-186.
Urraca, R.; Huld, T.; Gracia Amillo, A.M.; Martinez-de-Pison, F.J.; Kaspar, F.; Sanz-Garcia, A. 2018. "Evaluation of global horizontal irradiance estimates from ERA5 and COSMO-REA6 reanalyses using ground and satellite-based data". Solar Energy, 164, 339-354.