What information is held on the Wiki-Solar Database?

For each utility-scale solar project, we collect as many of the details listed below as we can. We don't have it all, so if you can update us with further or corrected information, please let us know.

Project references

Each project is given a name ¶, often by its owner, failing which we usually use the name of the nearest village (supplemented by participant names and capacities where there are several projects nearby).

We assign a unique reference ¶ to each one to help avoid duplication (as different parties may refer to the same project by different names).

Capacity data 

The Wiki-Solar Database records the rated capacity ¶ of the station in MW_AC (the capacity deliverable to the grid). See more about MW ratings, and the 4-MW_AC threshold, here.

Location data 

The location of the project ¶ is recorded (by country, region, province - and address, where available), together with latitude and longitude Ø where known. For many plants we also have a footprint Ø showing the actual site plan, as shown on these maps. We also hold for many sites information about the land usage Ø  (what the land was previously used for).

Once a site appears on satellite views or other images, the site area considered is that within the (fenced) site perimeter. Prior to that it is the area quoted by the developer or referenced in the planning documents.

Technical project data

In addition to the capacity data above, key technical data on each project includes:

• For photovoltaic projects: MWp (the DC output of the solar array) Ø 
• Scheduled or actual coming-online date ¶ 
• Annual output in MWh Ø 
• Equivalent power consumption expressed as numbers of homes Ø 
• Typical carbon savings in tonnes of CO₂ Ø 
• Equivalent carbon savings expressed as number of cars (average annual emissions) § 
• Site area in hectares (see above) Ø 

This data allows analysis of comparative global and regional performance ratios.

Participant and subsystem data

The Wiki-Solar Database lists as many of the following participants as possible - follow hyperlinks for the role of each: Plant owner Ȼ, project developer Ȼ, EPC Ȼ and O&M Ȼ contractors, solar module Ȼ, mounting structure, inverter Ȼ & energy storage suppliers, landowner Ȼ, power off-taker Ȼ (or tariff provider) and finance providers Ȼ.

Technical and numerical data is held against applicable contributors, including:

• Number and type of solar modules used § 
• Mounting type; fixed, offset, 1- or 2-axis tracker, rooftop etc § 
  
• Number and type of inverters § 
• Storage capacity in MWh and power in MW § 

Financial data

In many cases, the Database also holds information on the capital costs of the projects and:

• Amount of debt and other non-equity finance for the project § 
• Tariff for energy output ($/MWh or equivalent) § 
  

Supporting information

The Database often holds a url linking to the owner, developer or funder's details about the project ¶. We also have photographs Ø of many of the plants, when they are built.

Database highlights

A summary of the total number of utiliy-scale solar projects on the Wiki-Solar Database is given here.

There must be some utility-scale plants we don't have - if you know about any, let us know.

How to access this information

When you click on any of the sites on our maps, a placemarker appears showing which items of the information shown on the left is available for that plant - see the right of this page.

See this page for information on how to buy lists of projects showing such data (where available). Select your option according to the data required, and the symbols on this page:

¶   items are given in Prime and all other reports;

Ȼ  are included in Combi and following reports;

Ø  are in Omni and Supra reports;

§   items are available only in the 'Supra' reports.

Purchasers of Supra reports can order additionally access to time-limited maps showing much of this project data on placemarkers - as illustrated below.