PVGIS

What Is PVGIS?

PVGIS (Photovoltaic Geographical Information System) is a free online tool from the European Commission (Joint Research Centre) that calculates solar irradiance and expected PV yield for any location in Europe and beyond. It uses satellite data and climatological models.

Step by step: How to use PVGIS correctly, which values to enter, and how to interpret the results – our detailed PVGIS Tutorial walks you through it.

Features

• Yield calculation: Expected annual yield of a PV system (kWh/kWp)
• Radiation data: Monthly and hourly global irradiance
• Optimal angle: Calculation of the optimal tilt and orientation
• Grid-connected PV: Simulation including losses (cables, inverter, temperature)
• Off-grid simulation: Standalone systems with storage
• TMY data: Typical Meteorological Year for download

Input Parameters

Parameter	Example
Location	Coordinates or address
PV technology	Crystalline silicon, CdTe, etc.
Installed capacity	e.g. 10 kWp
Tilt	e.g. 35°
Azimuth	e.g. 0° (south)
System losses	Default: 14%

Example Results for Munich (10 kWp, 35° South)

Month	Yield (kWh)
January	370
July	1,250
Annual yield	approx. 11,200

PVGIS vs. Solantiq Solar Calculator

The Solantiq solar calculator is built on the same PVGIS data basis, but is designed for homeowners rather than researchers:

	PVGIS	Solantiq Calculator
Data basis	EU JRC satellite/climate data	Same (PVGIS-based model)
Yield per month	✓	✓
Savings, payback, ROI	—	✓ (electricity price, feed-in tariff)
Battery storage simulation	basic	✓ interactive
Interface	scientific form	guided, mobile-friendly
Price	free	free

Try it: Enter your address in the free solar calculator and get your PVGIS-based yield, savings, and payback in about a minute — no manual coordinates or loss factors needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is PVGIS free? Yes. PVGIS is a public service of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) — no registration, no cost.

How accurate is PVGIS? For annual yields in Europe, PVGIS is typically accurate to within a few percent, which makes it a reliable planning basis. Actual yields vary year to year with the weather.

Does PVGIS work outside Europe? Yes. The satellite databases cover Europe, Africa, and large parts of Asia and the Americas; the ERA5 climate database provides global coverage.

Which values do I need to enter? Location, installed power (kWp), tilt, azimuth, and system losses (default 14%). The most common mistake is the azimuth convention — in PVGIS, 0° means south. Our PVGIS Tutorial walks through every field.

Practical Tip

PVGIS is the most important free tool for yield estimation. It is available at re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvg_tools. The results serve as a solid basis for profitability calculations. For a complete walkthrough including the common pitfalls (such as the azimuth convention), see our PVGIS Tutorial.