Development and Integration of a Local Solar Atlas into a GEOSS compliant Global Spatial Data Infrastructure (GSDI)

Abstract

In the framework of the Architecture Implementation Pilot - Phase 5 (AIP-5) of GEO (Group on Earth Observation) and with the support of the European Commission FP7-project (Seventh Framework Program) ENDORSE (ENergyDOwnstReam SErvices - Providing energy components for GMES; 2011-2013), we have developed a scenario to provide a free-access infrastructure to discover and exploit the solar potential of the Provence Alpes Cote d Azur (PACA) region located in the South East of France. Several tens of calibrated maps of solar irradiation have been produced at a high spatial resolution (200 m) allowing to perform local level studies, i.e. at 1/250 000 scale. Providing online map and time series services offers an interesting trade-off between an educative and a fully expert approach to access solar radiation information as on-line local atlas. It is suitable for decision-support in solar energy policy planning and private investment as well as for educational purpose to promote solar energy. A Global Spatial Data Infrastructure (GSDI) has been developed that includes a community portal, a geographical server for hosting geospatial data, a geospatial data catalog allowing search and discovery of data of interest and a WebGIS client providing a user friendly application gathering in a single and dedicate GUI (Graphical User Interface) all data needed for practitioner to enable decision making for energy related projects. Thanks to the respect of international standards enabling interoperability, the components of the GSDI has been integrated and connected among others to larger international initiative such as GEOSS (Global Earth Observation System of Systems) and UNEP-GRID (United Nation Education Program) allowing a wider dissemination of the resources for the benefit of data providers on the one hand and of the renewable energy community on the other hand.