Roofko Open Solar Dataset
A free, citable, country-level solar dataset spanning 245 countries. Built from satellite irradiance averages and standardized system assumptions. Every figure is an estimate.
Figures are estimates based on typical system assumptions and the latest available electricity-price and billing data. Actual costs, tariffs, net-metering rules, and incentives vary by utility and change over time — confirm with a local installer or energy authority before making decisions.
What this dataset is
The Roofko Open Solar Dataset is a country-level summary of solar potential and economics for 245 countries and territories. Each row aggregates the cities Roofko models within a country into a handful of headline indicators: an average solar score, average specific yield (kWh/kWp), an average payback period, and an average residential electricity price.
It is intended as a quick, linkable reference for journalists, researchers, students, and builders who want a single, consistent, cross-country view of where solar makes the most sense — without stitching together a dozen different sources.
The dataset is country-level only (245 rows). For city-level detail, explore the Solar Atlas.
Fields in the export
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| country_slug | Lowercase ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code, e.g. "us". |
| country_iso | Uppercase ISO country code, e.g. "US". |
| country_name | Display name of the country or territory. |
| city_count | Number of cities modelled for that country in the Roofko atlas. |
| top_city | Largest/representative city used as the country anchor. |
| avg_yield_kwh_per_kwp_est | Estimated average annual specific yield (kWh per kWp installed). |
| avg_solar_score_est | Estimated average Roofko solar score (0–100), blending yield and economics. |
| avg_payback_years_est | Estimated average simple payback period in years, before incentives. |
| avg_price_usd_per_kwh_est | Estimated average residential electricity price in USD/kWh. |
CSV column names append _est to the estimated numeric fields as an explicit reminder that they are modelled estimates. The JSON export returns the raw stored keys (e.g. avg_pvout, avg_score, price_kwh).
License & how to cite
The dataset is released under a CC-BY-style license: you may use, share, and adapt it freely — including commercially — as long as you credit Roofko and link back to the source.
Cite as:
Roofko Global Solar Rankings 2026, roofko.me/atlas/rankings
How it is built (and its limits)
Yield figures derive from satellite irradiance averages; economic figures (payback, score) apply standardized household-system assumptions and estimated average residential electricity prices. These are deliberately simple, comparable approximations — not utility-grade forecasts.
Real outcomes depend on the specific roof, system design, local tariffs, net-metering rules, and incentives, all of which vary and change over time. Treat every number as an estimate and confirm with a local installer or energy authority before making decisions.
Figures are estimates based on typical system assumptions and the latest available electricity-price and billing data. Actual costs, tariffs, net-metering rules, and incentives vary by utility and change over time — confirm with a local installer or energy authority before making decisions.