was launched by the World Bank, using data provided by Solargis, to provide a single source for high-quality solar data, maps, and GIS layers covering all countries. Solar radiation maps are built using databases derived from satellite imagery, as for example using visible images from Meteosat Prime satellite. A method is applied to the images to determine solar radiation. One well validated satellite-to-irradiance model is the SUNY model. The accuracy of this model is well evaluated. In general, solar irradiance maps are accurate, especially for Global Horizontal Irradiance. Applications Solar power Solar irradiation figures are used to plan the deployment of solar power systems. In many countries, the figures can be obtained from an insolation map or from insolation tables that reflect data over the prior 30–50 years. Different solar power technologies are able to use different components of the total irradiation. While solar photovoltaics panels are able to convert to electricity both direct irradiation and diffuse irradiation, concentrated solar power is only able to operate efficiently with direct irradiation, thus making these systems suitable only in locations with relatively low cloud cover. Because solar collectors panels are almost always mounted at an angle towards the sun, insolation figures must be adjusted to find the amount of sun falling on the panel. This will prevent estimates that are inaccurately low for winter and inaccurately high for summer. This also means that the amount of sun falling on a solar panel at high latitude is not as low compared to one at the equator as would appear from just considering insolation on a horizontal surface. Horizontal insolation values range from 800–950kWh/(kWp·y) in Norway to up to 2,900kWh/(kWp·y) in Australia. But a properly tilted panel at 50° latitude receives 1860kWh/m/y, compared to 2370 at the equator. In fact, under clear skies a solar panel placed horizontally at the north or south pole at midsummer receives more sunlight over 24 hours (cosine of angle of incidence equal to sin(23.5°) or about 0.40) than a horizontal panel at the equator at the equinox (average cosine equal to 1/π or about 0.32). Photovoltaic panels are rated under standard conditions to determine the Wp (peak watts) rating, which can then be used with insolation, adjusted by factors such as tilt, tracking and shading, to determine the expected output. Buildings In construction, insolation is an important consideration when designing a building for a particular site. The projection