50-State Solar Insolation, Peak Sun Hours, ASHRAE Climatic Design Temperatures, and Grid Electricity Rates Matrix
Harmonized state-by-state meteorological, solar resource, and residential electricity tariff database across all 50 US states.
1. Abstract & Dataset Scope
A standardized multi-dimensional dataset unifying state-level solar irradiance metrics from NREL NSRDB, ASHRAE Climatic Design Conditions (extreme minimum and maximum design dry-bulb temperatures), seasonal ground albedo constants, and residential electricity rates published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
2. Experimental & Simulation Methodology
Data synthesized from NREL NSRDB 1998-2022 physical solar models, ASHRAE Fundamentals Chapter 14 design conditions, and state-weighted average retail electricity pricing from EIA Form 861M.
3. Data Dictionary & Variable Definitions
| Variable Name | Symbol | Unit | Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Code | State | ISO 3166-2:US | String | Two-letter US state or territory abbreviation | CO |
| Annual Average Peak Sun Hours | PSH_avg | Hours/Day (kWh/m²/day) | Float | Daily solar insolation arriving at horizontal surface | 5.25 |
| Optimal Fixed Tilt Angle | Tilt_opt | Degrees (°) | Float | Angle maximizing annual photovoltaic kilowatt-hour generation | 34 |
| ASHRAE 99.6% Winter Design Temp | T_min_ashrae | °F / °C | Float | Extreme historical minimum dry-bulb temperature for Voc sizing | -14 |
| Average Residential Tariff | Tariff_res | $/kWh | Float | Blended retail electricity rate per EIA monthly report | 0.148 |
4. Sample Data Records Preview
Displaying 6 representative rows (Full dataset contains 58 Records)| state | psh daily | optimal tilt deg | winter min f | summer max f | rate per kwh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AZ | 6.52 | 28.5 | 28 | 110 | $0.142 |
| CA | 5.68 | 32 | 34 | 98 | $0.315 |
| CO | 5.45 | 35 | -10 | 92 | $0.152 |
| FL | 5.22 | 25 | 38 | 93 | $0.158 |
| NY | 4.15 | 38 | 2 | 89 | $0.234 |
| TX | 5.1 | 30 | 22 | 102 | $0.149 |
5. Dataset Citation (BibTeX / APA / IEEE)
When referencing this dataset in academic preprints, technical reports, or computational tooling, please cite using the standard DataCite DOI reference below:
APA Style
IEEE Style
BibTeX Record
@dataset{powerlab_2026_solar_50state,
author = {{PowerLab Clean Energy Engineering Group}},
title = {50-State Solar Insolation, Peak Sun Hours, ASHRAE Climatic Design Temperatures, and Grid Electricity Rates Matrix},
year = {2026},
publisher = {Figshare},
version = {2.0.0},
doi = {10.6084/m9.figshare.33618778},
url = {https://www.powelab.org/datasets/50-state-solar-insolation-climatic-benchmark}
}