File Geodatabase Feature Class
Tags
US, Solar Energy
This layer contains the TEL solar power potential within Texas. This polygon file was specifically designed for small scale thematic mapping.
The spatial data were obtained from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and are current as of 2012. The layer is composed of 10km resolution grid cells, each with a TEL value. The Attributes were modified to include only annual TEL value, and monthly GHI values. The coordinate system of this data is WGS 1984.
“TEL, short for Tilt Equals Latitude, is the optimum angle that makes a surface perpendicular to the suns incoming rays. This data provides monthly average and annual average daily total solar resource averaged over surface cells of 0.1 degrees in both latitude and longitude, or about 10 km in size. This data was developed using the State University of New York/Albany satellite radiation model. This model was developed by Dr. Richard Perez and collaborators at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and other universities for the U.S. Department of Energy. Specific information about this model can be found in Perez, et al. (2002).
This model uses hourly radiance images from geostationary weather satellites, daily snow cover data, and monthly averages of atmospheric water vapor, trace gases, and the amount of aerosols in the atmosphere to calculate the hourly total insolation (sun and sky) falling on a horizontal surface. Atmospheric water vapor, trace gases, and aerosols are derived from a variety of sources. A modified Bird model is used to calculate clear sky direct normal (DNI). This is then adjusted as a function of the ratio of clear sky global horizontal (GHI) and the model predicted GHI. Where possible, existing ground measurement stations are used to validate the data. Nevertheless, there is uncertainty associated with the meteorological input to the model, since some of the input parameters are not available at a 10km resolution. As a result, it is believed that the modeled values are accurate to approximately 15% of a true measured value within the grid cell. Due to terrain effects and other microclimate influences, the local cloud cover can vary significantly even within a single grid cell. Furthermore, the uncertainty of the modeled estimates increase with distance from reliable measurement sources and with the complexity of the terrain.” - NREL
Center for Geospatial Technology, Texas Tech University National Renewable Energy Laboratory
There are no access and use limitations for this item.
Extent
West | -106.700000 | East | -93.500000 |
North | 36.600000 | South | 25.800000 |
Maximum (zoomed in) | 1:5,000 |
Minimum (zoomed out) | 1:150,000,000 |
Center for Geospatial Technology, Texas Tech University National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Internal feature number.
Esri
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
Feature geometry.
Esri
Coordinates defining the features.
Length of feature in internal units.
Esri
Positive real numbers that are automatically generated.
Area of feature in internal units squared.
Esri
Positive real numbers that are automatically generated.