Gross site area
Area inside the user-drawn boundary, reported in square metres or hectares.
Free SolarDev GIS Site Check
Upload a known property boundary from KMZ or draw a candidate utility-scale solar site on detailed topographic or satellite mapping, measure its boundary and obtain an indicative PVGIS specific-yield result at the site centroid. Review mapped infrastructure context and export the boundary for further GIS screening. You can also download an hourly PVGIS Typical Meteorological Year file at the site centroid.
Public boundary and resource pre-checkGeometry, PVGIS, TMY, exports and indicative OpenStreetMap context.
Saved GIS workspaceSeparate source-based constraint screens, preliminary index and evidence reports after saving.
Pan and zoom to explore
Infrastructure layersOSM beta
Substations appear as dots from zoom level 5 and gain detail as you zoom in.
Coverage varies. Proximity does not indicate connection capacity, availability or feasibility.
1. Locate or uploadSearch by location or upload a known property boundary as KMZ.
2. DefineImport or draw the site to calculate gross area and perimeter.
3. Check and exportRun the PVGIS pre-check, export the boundary or download TMY weather data.
Screening outputs
What the solar site tool calculates
The tool combines user-defined geometry with a preliminary solar-resource request. Outputs are intended to support opportunity screening and the definition of follow-up work.
Boundary perimeter
Indicative perimeter length calculated from the drawn coordinates.
Site centroid
A representative point used to request the preliminary PVGIS result.
Specific yield
Modelled annual kWh/kWp at the centroid using the assumptions shown in the tool.
Infrastructure context
Indicative mapped roads, voltage-class lines and substations at scale-dependent zooms.
GIS-ready exports
Download the boundary as KMZ, KML or GeoJSON for continued screening.
TMY weather file
Download hourly PVGIS Typical Meteorological Year data at the centroid as CSV or EPW.
Methodology
How the screening works
Search results and map clicks define WGS84 coordinates. The browser calculates boundary area, perimeter and centroid from those coordinates.
The PVGIS v5.3 request uses the centroid with a 1 kWp fixed system, optimum inclination and 14% assumed system losses. The displayed result is a modelled screening value, not a P50 or bankable energy-yield assessment.
The optional meteo download is a separate PVGIS v5.3 Typical Meteorological Year request at the same centroid with the PVGIS horizon model enabled. CSV supports data review, while EPW supports EnergyPlus-compatible workflows.
Infrastructure overlays are derived from OpenStreetMap and depend on contributor coverage and live data availability.
Important limitations
What SolarDev GIS Site Check does not replace
- —Grid capacity or connection feasibility
- —Environmental and planning constraints
- —Flood, drainage or terrain suitability
- —Land ownership and project rights
- —Geotechnical conditions
- —Detailed layout or energy yield
Solar site screening FAQs
Is SolarDev GIS Site Check a solar-project feasibility study?
No. It is an early-stage screening tool. Its measurements, map context and PVGIS result help structure initial questions, but they do not replace site surveys, grid studies, planning review or professional due diligence.
What does the PVGIS estimate represent?
The tool requests an indicative annual specific-yield result at the drawn boundary centroid using a 1 kWp fixed system, optimum inclination and 14% assumed system losses. It is not a project energy-yield assessment.
Can I export the solar-site boundary?
Yes. The drawn boundary can be downloaded as KMZ, KML or GeoJSON. KMZ is selected by default for convenient use in common GIS and virtual-globe workflows.
Can I upload an existing property boundary?
Yes. Upload a KMZ containing a property polygon and SolarDev GIS Site Check will place the boundary on the map, calculate its geometry and make the PVGIS, TMY and export tools available. If the file contains several polygons, the largest valid polygon is used.
Can I download a meteorological file for the site?
Yes. SolarDev GIS Site Check can request a free PVGIS Typical Meteorological Year file at the boundary centroid in CSV or EPW format. The hourly file is intended for preliminary analysis and simulation workflows and is not a measured site dataset.
Do the infrastructure layers confirm grid capacity?
No. Roads, power lines and substations are indicative OpenStreetMap context only. Proximity does not demonstrate capacity, a viable connection point, ownership, availability or connection feasibility.
Continue the assessment with solar geometry, or use the professional site-screening methodology in Volume 1.