Average solar energy density
The maps below illustrate select multiyear annual and monthly average maps and geospatial data from the National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB) Physical Solar Model (PSM). The PSM covers most of the Americas. Learn about the NSRDB PSM. To access the data directly and learn more about data.
To make the above maps, the multiyear solar irradiance was calculated from the NSRDB. These derived data sets are provided below as.
Please cite use of the maps and data accordingly. Sengupta, M., Y. Xie, A. Lopez, A. Habte, G. Maclaurin, and J. Shelby. 2018. "The National Solar Radiation Data Base.
As the photovoltaic (PV) industry continues to evolve, advancements in Average solar energy density have become critical to optimizing the utilization of renewable energy sources. From innovative battery technologies to intelligent energy management systems, these solutions are transforming the way we store and distribute solar-generated electricity.
6 FAQs about [Average solar energy density]
What is solar energy density?
Solar energy power density has an average of 168 W/m 2; however, not all of this power can be captured and turned into electricity.
Does solar energy have the highest power density?
We challenge the current consensus that solar energy exhibits the highest power density among renewable technologies5. It is revealed that there exist significant diferences between diferent regions, depending on the topography and solar irradiation intensity6, impacting the afordability7.
What percentage of electricity is generated by solar?
Solar technologies generated 3.9% of U.S. electricity in 2023 1, with two-thirds from utility scale solar 2. On average, 173,000 TW of solar radiation continuously strike the Earth 4, while global electricity demand averages 3.0 TW 5. Electricity demand peaks at a different time than PV generation, leading to energy surpluses and deficits.
What is net electric power density?
The net electric power density from the current PV plants (ρe) is the average solar irradiance (sunlight power density) on the PV modules (I), limited by some factors (fi) that take into account the energy that cannot be transformed into electricity.
What are the power and energy density mean values?
We observe that the overall power and energy density mean values of the entire population are relatively high (23.634 TWh/km2 or 2696.17 W/m2 ). It should be noted that these numbers consider only the power plant surface.
How much energy does a solar power plant generate a year?
Across all solar technologies, the total area generation-weighted average is 3.5 acres/GWh/yr with 40% of power plants within 3 and 4 acres/GWh/yr. For direct-area requirements the generation-weighted average is 2.9 acres/GWh/yr, with 49% of power plants within 2.5 and 3.5 acres/GWh/yr.