Assessing and Mapping Renewable Energy Resources | 2nd Edition

Under its Renewable Energy Resource Mapping program, which closed in 2020, ESMAP created the Global Solar Atlas (GSA) and Global Wind Atlas (GWA). These platforms continue to play an important role in providing access to free resource data globally – and their popularity continues to grow. Since their launches, the two websites have had 38,000 and 30,000 unique visitors respectively, with a good proportion of visitors from developing countries.

In 2016 ESMAP published the report Assessing and Mapping Renewable Energy Resources which explains for a wide range of audiences, the importance of resource assessment and mapping, key steps and good practices, and methodological issues.

Using data collected through the GSA and GWA, ESMAP has now published a second edition of the report. In addition to updating ESMAP’s guidance to client countries and development partners, the report also incorporates new material on geothermal power and simplified guidance on when to undertake a solar or wind ground-based measurement campaign.

First Edition: April 2016: Assessing and Mapping Renewable Energy Resources