The Global Atlas is a free and open global spatial data infrastructure and online GIS platform that hosts over 300 renewable energy resource maps and datasets. It allows data owners to disseminate their datasets while retaining intellectual property. Users can access basic information and perform analyses or create customized online maps using the Atlas' tools and datasets. The Atlas is coordinated by IRENA and involves technical working groups and data contributors from over 40 countries to integrate renewable resource data and promote its analysis and application.

1. Global Atlas:
Status and Perspectives
W.J. Lee, IRENA

2. GLOBAL ATLAS: CONTEXT
WHAT IS THE GLOBAL ATLAS?
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3. GLOBAL ATLAS: CONTEXT
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4. What is the Global Atlas?
 A freeopen standards Global Spatial Data Infrastructure
• A global ‘public library’ of renewable resource maps – 300 + datasets
• The information is not copied or duplicated, and existing services are
integrated
• Data owners use freely the platform to disseminate and reference their own
datasets
• Depending on the IP restrictions, the links can be used by the Atlas online
GIS, the data owners and their project partners, and the general public
 The GIS interface is online and freely accessible. Basic users can access
information and perform basic analyses.
 ‘Advanced’ users can create their own online project maps, embed those in their
webportal, and use the online tools on their own datasets.
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5. Global Atlas Institutional Structure
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Global Renewable Energy Atlas
Steering Committee
Secretariat and coordination
IRENA
Solar and Wind Technical Group
CEM, 2010
Bioenergy Technical Group
GBEP, 2013
Geothermal Technical Group
2013
Hydropower Technical Group
2013
Marine Energies Technical Group
2014
End-user network
2012

6. How is the work organized?
 The Steering Committee meets during the IRENA Assembly. Intermediate meetings
are organized at IRENA Councils and other ministerial events – CEM, GBEP.
 The Secretariat is made of a team of 3 persons in IRENA Abu Dhabi.
 The working groups meet twice a year, during expert meetings or workshops . Experts
are designated by the participating countries, and invited by the Secretariat.
 The end-user group is constantly kept informed of the developments – newsletter,
website, and can contact the Secretariat at any time. The end-user network meets
once a year in Abu Dhabi WFES.
 Additional ad hoc task forces are created for a temporary issue – ex data quality for
solar and wind, capacity building for solar and wind.
 Participation is voluntary. Financing is shared between country contributions and
IRENA’s core budget.
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Albania, Australia, Belgium,
Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia,
France, Gambia, Germany,
Grenada, Honduras, India, Iraq,
Israel, Kuwait, Lithuania, Mali,
Mexico, Mongolia, Nicaragua,
Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Peru,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal,
Seychelles, South Africa, Spain,
Swaziland, Switzerland, Tunisia,
UAE, Uganda, UK, Uruguay, USA,
Yemen.
Global Atlas Signatories

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Technical Partners and Data Providers
Partner Projects and Multilateral Initiatives

9. WHAT IS THE GLOBAL
ATLAS?
Part I - Data Infrastructure and Sharing
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10. Three main systems for the Global Atlas Data Infrastructure
1) Geoserver is operated by data provider
2) Catalog – references the information hosted by the
geoservers. Catalog is interoperable with other initiaitves.
3) Interface can search into the catalog
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11. Step1: Registering the Data on a Geoserver (open source)
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12. Step 2: Remote Registration to the Catalog
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Full description, ownership and
references are preserved

13. Consequence 1: Data appear in Atlas interface library
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14. Consequence 2: larger data dissemination
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15. Consequence 3: Links can be used by third parties,
other projects and initiatives with desktop GIS
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16. Intellectual property?
 If the data has IP restrictions – signature of a data
sharing agreement with IRENA
 IP remains with the data owner
 Data sharing and download can be limited on demand
 Service can be modified or stopped from data owner’s
end
 The catalog can handle private and public data 16

17. WHAT IS THE GLOBAL
ATLAS?
Part II - Data visualization and analysis
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18. Create your own project
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Example 1: Wind speed, population density, protected areas

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Example 2: Detailed site information

21. Example 3: Country map based on the project
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22. First thematic maps are available
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Australia http://irena.masdar.ac.ae/?map=406
Cuba http://irena.masdar.ac.ae/?map=404
Ethiopia http://irena.masdar.ac.ae/?map=312
MERRA dataset http://irena.masdar.ac.ae/?map=399
Mongolia http://irena.masdar.ac.ae/?map=318
Papua New Guinea http://irena.masdar.ac.ae/?map=324
Serbia http://irena.masdar.ac.ae/?map=317
Somalia http://irena.masdar.ac.ae/?map=301
South African Wind Atlas http://irena.masdar.ac.ae/?map=405
Sudan http://irena.masdar.ac.ae/?map=321
Swaziland http://irena.masdar.ac.ae/?map=299
Uganda http://irena.masdar.ac.ae/?map=315
Yemen http://irena.masdar.ac.ae/?map=382
Zambia http://irena.masdar.ac.ae/?map=338

23. Example 4: Using the interface in your own website
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Data are promoted in an
interactive manner without having
to develop an online GIS.
Just add 1 line:
<iframe style="border: none;"
width="512" height="256"
src="http://irena.masdar.ac.ae/?m
ap=299&mode=static"></iframe>
Or <iframe style="border: none;"
width="512" height="256"
src="http://irena.masdar.ac.ae/ifra
me.html?map=299&mode=static"
></iframe>

24. Ongoing work and next steps
 Integration of Countries’ solar and wind data – display, point
data
 Additional datasets coming online:
 CENER – wind energy, global, 10 km
 Private companies – solar, wind, global, 5km
 DTU – wind energy, global, 3/5 km
 NASA – solar, global, 10 km
 Significant improvements to the Atlas GIS, data display and
analysis tools
 Expansion ongoing to other renewable energy sources
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RENEWABLE ENERGY
www.irena.org/GlobalAtlas
Renewable Energy
Resource Mapping
GlobalAtlas
SolarandWind
@GlobalREAtlas