Updated Large-Scale US Solar Projects Database

• LBNL and USGS have unveiled their updated database of operational large-scale PV capacity in the US 
• Presented in the form of an interactive web application, it lists 3,699 projects across 47 states and Washington D.C. 
• It can also provide details of a single facility with regard to the size, solar module technology use, axis type, year of installation and rated capacity 

The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) along with the US Geological Survey (USGS) has released updated database of publicly available operational large-scale solar facilities in the US. The list comprises projects with more than 1 MW DC installed capacity. 

The United States Large-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Database (USPVDB) comprises 3,699 large-scale solar power plants across 47 US states and Washington D.C. through the end of 2021.

The database covers locations and array boundaries of all facilities to allow users to visualize, inspect, interact and download the latest data through a dynamic web application. Click on the application and one sees 3,676 solar projects on the screen with a total rated capacity of 54.88 GW AC. 

The application allows for projects to be filtered by range or category. For instance, for agrivoltaic projects, the USPVDB shows the country had 65 agrivoltaic projects online with a total rated capacity of 325 MW AC. A majority of these are located in the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin and New York.  

LBNL says the database contains both geospatial polygons encircling the installed equipment as panels and inverters. These polygons, it explains, were hand-drawn using high resolution aerial imagery, which is a significant improvement over other datasets including that of the Energy Information Agency (EIA). 

"The USPVDB database includes detailed facility attributes, including size of the array area, panel technology type, axis type, year of installation, and rated capacity to produce electricity. Further, the USPVDB brings a variety of attributes together, such as if the location was presently or previously environmentally contaminated and if the facility has agrivoltaic features," explained the team at LBNL. 

The database is aimed at helping government agencies, scientists, private companies, and other stakeholders to use the data for analytical purposes. It is open for all to access on the USGS website.

In October 2023, LBNL released its Utility-Scale Solar 2023 Edition counting a minimum of 947 GW utility OV capacity in interconnection queue at the end of 2022 (see Solar & Storage Large-Scale Plants Growing In The US).