homehome Home chatchat Notifications


You can now calculate your Renewable Energy potential with this mobile App

A simple smartphone app combines the most reliable data and maps on global renewable energy potential, so you can get a better idea what's the right kind of equipment you need or if the investment is warranted in the first place. And it's all for free, too.

Tibi Puiu
July 6, 2015 @ 7:50 am

share Share

A simple smartphone app combines the most reliable data  and maps on global renewable energy potential, so you can get a better idea what’s the right kind of equipment you need or if the investment is warranted in the first place. And it’s all for free, too.

renewable energy app

Image: IRENA

The app, called Global Atlas, was developed by International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). It combines  1,000 maps from 67 governments and 50 data centres to provide information on renewable energy resources anywhere in the world. The app is generally geared towards large firms,  “prospectors” and investors who need a lot of reliable data until they can settle whether a large scale renewable energy development project is feasible or not. But anyone can use it really, even if you just want to know how much solar energy your home receives on an annual basis.

“One of the major hurdles to worldwide renewable energy deployment is reaching the needed levels of investment,” Adnan Z. Amin, IRENA’s director-general said in a statement. “The Global Atlas pocket brings more investment certainty to renewable energy prospectors and investors. Users can freely access data from geothermal potentials in the Caribbean to solar potentials in the Middle East and anything in between. It is an incredibly powerful tool.”

The app is packed with powerful combination of search functionalities including geolocation services, personalized search categories, map views and sharing capabilities. If you’re interested to give it a spin, download it from your mobile device on iTunes or Google Play.

According to the World Bank, one of the supporters of the app, Global Atlas could prove especially useful for projects in the developing world.

“Through its Energy Sector Management Assistance Program, the World Bank is making data-rich renewable energy resource maps of 12 developing countries available through IRENA’s Global Atlas,” she said. “As renewable resources take on a central role in countries’ energy planning, this information becomes increasingly important to governments, citizens and the private sector.”

share Share

Coolness Isn’t About Looks or Money. It’s About These Six Things, According to Science

New global study reveals the six traits that define coolness around the world.

Ancient Roman Pompeii had way more erotic art than you'd think

Unfortunately, there are few images we can respectably share here.

Wild Orcas Are Offering Fish to Humans and Scientists Say They May Be Trying to Bond with Us

Scientists recorded 34 times orcas offered prey to humans over 20 years.

No Mercury, No Cyanide: This is the Safest and Greenest Way to Recover Gold from E-waste

A pool cleaner and a spongy polymer can turn used and discarded electronic items into a treasure trove of gold.

This $10 Hack Can Transform Old Smartphones Into a Tiny Data Center

The throwaway culture is harming our planet. One solution is repurposing billions of used smartphones.

Doctors Discover 48th Known Blood Group and Only One Person on Earth Has It

A genetic mystery leads to the discovery of a new blood group: “Gwada negative.”

More Than Half of Intersection Crashes Involve Left Turns. Is It Time To Finally Ban Them?

Even though research supports the change, most cities have been slow to ban left turns at even the most congested intersections.

A London Dentist Just Cracked a Geometric Code in Leonardo’s Vitruvian Man

A hidden triangle in the vitruvian man could finally explain one of da Vinci's greatest works.

The Story Behind This Female Pharaoh's Broken Statues Is Way Weirder Than We Thought

New study reveals the ancient Egyptian's odd way of retiring a pharaoh.

China Resurrected an Abandoned Soviet 'Sea Monster' That's Part Airplane, Part Hovercraft

The Soviet Union's wildest aircraft just got a second life in China.