The National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB) Final Report: Fiscal Years 2019-2021

The National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB) is the leading public source of high-resolution solar resource data in the United States, with more than 166,000 users annually. This database represents the state of the art in satellite-based estimation of solar resource information and uses a unique physics-based modeling approach that enables improvements in accuracy with the deployment of the next-generation geostationary satellites. Making the highest quality, state-of-the-art, regularly updated data sets available on a timely basis for users reduces costs of solar deployment by providing accurate information for siting studies and system output prediction, and thereby reduces levelized cost of energy. Also, high-resolution information from the NSRDB enables moving beyond levelized cost of energy when valuing the impact of renewables on the grid. Additionally, the NSRDB enables the integration of large amounts of solar on the grid by providing critical information about solar availability and variability that is used to enhance grid reliability and power quality.