U.S. Solar Insolation & ASHRAE Climatic Design Database
Standardized meteorological benchmarks from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL NSRDB & PVWatts V8),ASHRAE Handbook — Fundamentals (Chapters 14 & 18), and the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
50-State Solar & Climatic Benchmark Table
54 Meteorological Stations Listed| State & Metro | Zone | ☀️ Peak Sun Hours | 📐 Opt. Tilt | ❄️ ASHRAE 99% Winter | 🔥 ASHRAE 1% Summer | ⚡ EIA Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama (Birmingham) | 3A | 4.82 kWh/m²/d | 30° | 22.1°F | 93.6°F | $0.154/kWh |
| Alaska (Anchorage) | 7 | 3.15 kWh/m²/d | 55° | -6.7°F | 72.3°F | $0.248/kWh |
| Arizona (Phoenix) | 2B | 6.55 kWh/m²/d | 30° | 40.8°F | 109.8°F | $0.141/kWh |
| Arkansas (Little Rock) | 3A | 4.75 kWh/m²/d | 31° | 21.6°F | 95.7°F | $0.128/kWh |
| California (Los Angeles) | 3B | 5.62 kWh/m²/d | 31° | 44.2°F | 86.2°F | $0.315/kWh |
| California (Central) (Fresno / Central Valley) | 3B | 5.78 kWh/m²/d | 33° | 32°F | 101.5°F | $0.315/kWh |
| California (North) (San Francisco / Bay Area) | 3C | 5.38 kWh/m²/d | 34° | 38.5°F | 78.4°F | $0.315/kWh |
| Colorado (Denver) | 5B | 5.48 kWh/m²/d | 36° | 1.2°F | 92.3°F | $0.151/kWh |
| Connecticut (Hartford) | 5A | 4.31 kWh/m²/d | 37° | 4.8°F | 89.2°F | $0.289/kWh |
| Delaware (Wilmington) | 4A | 4.58 kWh/m²/d | 35° | 14.5°F | 90.7°F | $0.165/kWh |
| District of Columbia (Washington D.C.) | 4A | 4.62 kWh/m²/d | 35° | 16.9°F | 92.8°F | $0.168/kWh |
| Florida (Central) (Orlando) | 2A | 5.37 kWh/m²/d | 26° | 39.2°F | 93.9°F | $0.156/kWh |
| Florida (South) (Miami) | 1A | 5.49 kWh/m²/d | 23° | 48.7°F | 91.6°F | $0.156/kWh |
| Georgia (Atlanta) | 3A | 4.88 kWh/m²/d | 30° | 21.7°F | 92.5°F | $0.143/kWh |
| Hawaii (Honolulu) | 1A | 5.86 kWh/m²/d | 19° | 62.1°F | 89.2°F | $0.442/kWh |
| Idaho (Boise) | 5B | 4.95 kWh/m²/d | 39° | 11.5°F | 96.3°F | $0.112/kWh |
| Illinois (Chicago) | 5A | 4.22 kWh/m²/d | 38° | -1.3°F | 90.1°F | $0.169/kWh |
| Indiana (Indianapolis) | 5A | 4.38 kWh/m²/d | 36° | 3.4°F | 89.5°F | $0.152/kWh |
| Iowa (Des Moines) | 5A | 4.51 kWh/m²/d | 37° | -6°F | 90.5°F | $0.138/kWh |
| Kansas (Wichita) | 4A | 5.12 kWh/m²/d | 34° | 7.9°F | 98.2°F | $0.144/kWh |
| Kentucky (Louisville) | 4A | 4.49 kWh/m²/d | 34° | 11.8°F | 91°F | $0.131/kWh |
| Louisiana (New Orleans) | 2A | 4.89 kWh/m²/d | 27° | 32.7°F | 93.4°F | $0.124/kWh |
| Maine (Portland) | 6A | 4.28 kWh/m²/d | 39° | -1.8°F | 85.1°F | $0.274/kWh |
| Maryland (Baltimore) | 4A | 4.6 kWh/m²/d | 35° | 15.3°F | 92.1°F | $0.178/kWh |
| Massachusetts (Boston) | 5A | 4.25 kWh/m²/d | 38° | 7.2°F | 88°F | $0.298/kWh |
| Michigan (Detroit) | 5A | 4.15 kWh/m²/d | 38° | 4.5°F | 88.5°F | $0.187/kWh |
| Minnesota (Minneapolis / St. Paul) | 6A | 4.45 kWh/m²/d | 40° | -13.2°F | 88.7°F | $0.157/kWh |
| Mississippi (Jackson) | 3A | 4.8 kWh/m²/d | 29° | 24.1°F | 94.3°F | $0.139/kWh |
| Missouri (St. Louis / Kansas City) | 4A | 4.71 kWh/m²/d | 35° | 6.8°F | 93.9°F | $0.134/kWh |
| Montana (Billings) | 6B | 4.88 kWh/m²/d | 41° | -13.5°F | 92.8°F | $0.126/kWh |
| Nebraska (Omaha) | 5A | 4.82 kWh/m²/d | 37° | -4.9°F | 92.1°F | $0.129/kWh |
| Nevada (Las Vegas) | 3B | 6.41 kWh/m²/d | 33° | 32.7°F | 108.3°F | $0.162/kWh |
| New Hampshire (Manchester) | 5A | 4.22 kWh/m²/d | 39° | -0.4°F | 87.8°F | $0.267/kWh |
| New Jersey (Newark / Jersey City) | 4A | 4.52 kWh/m²/d | 37° | 14°F | 90.9°F | $0.198/kWh |
| New Mexico (Albuquerque) | 4B | 6.38 kWh/m²/d | 32° | 18°F | 95.2°F | $0.149/kWh |
| New York (New York City) | 4A | 4.41 kWh/m²/d | 37° | 15.1°F | 89.8°F | $0.245/kWh |
| New York (Upstate) (Buffalo / Rochester) | 5A | 3.92 kWh/m²/d | 39° | 4.1°F | 85.5°F | $0.215/kWh |
| North Carolina (Charlotte / Raleigh) | 3A | 4.95 kWh/m²/d | 32° | 20.3°F | 92.5°F | $0.138/kWh |
| North Dakota (Fargo / Bismarck) | 7 | 4.52 kWh/m²/d | 42° | -21.1°F | 88.5°F | $0.121/kWh |
| Ohio (Columbus / Cleveland) | 5A | 4.25 kWh/m²/d | 36° | 5.2°F | 88.7°F | $0.161/kWh |
| Oklahoma (Oklahoma City) | 3A | 5.28 kWh/m²/d | 32° | 14.5°F | 98.4°F | $0.132/kWh |
| Oregon (Portland) | 4C | 4.12 kWh/m²/d | 41° | 23.4°F | 88.9°F | $0.136/kWh |
| Pennsylvania (Philadelphia / Pittsburgh) | 4A | 4.39 kWh/m²/d | 36° | 13.6°F | 90.7°F | $0.185/kWh |
| Rhode Island (Providence) | 5A | 4.31 kWh/m²/d | 37° | 8.8°F | 87.1°F | $0.287/kWh |
| South Carolina (Columbia / Charleston) | 3A | 5.05 kWh/m²/d | 31° | 24.3°F | 95°F | $0.146/kWh |
| South Dakota (Sioux Falls) | 6A | 4.75 kWh/m²/d | 39° | -13°F | 89.8°F | $0.133/kWh |
| Tennessee (Nashville / Memphis) | 4A | 4.72 kWh/m²/d | 33° | 14.7°F | 93°F | $0.129/kWh |
| Texas (North) (Dallas / Fort Worth) | 3A | 5.35 kWh/m²/d | 30° | 22.8°F | 100.4°F | $0.148/kWh |
| Texas (Central / South) (Houston / Austin / San Antonio) | 2A | 5.15 kWh/m²/d | 27° | 31.8°F | 96.1°F | $0.148/kWh |
| Texas (West) (El Paso) | 3B | 6.32 kWh/m²/d | 29° | 25°F | 99.7°F | $0.148/kWh |
| Utah (Salt Lake City) | 5B | 5.42 kWh/m²/d | 37° | 9.3°F | 96.6°F | $0.119/kWh |
| Vermont (Burlington) | 6A | 4.1 kWh/m²/d | 40° | -8.7°F | 85.8°F | $0.218/kWh |
| Virginia (Richmond / Norfolk) | 4A | 4.78 kWh/m²/d | 34° | 17.6°F | 92.8°F | $0.149/kWh |
| Washington (West) (Seattle / Tacoma) | 4C | 3.85 kWh/m²/d | 43° | 25.9°F | 84.9°F | $0.124/kWh |
| Washington (East) (Spokane) | 5B | 4.55 kWh/m²/d | 43° | 4.3°F | 92.5°F | $0.124/kWh |
| West Virginia (Charleston) | 4A | 4.32 kWh/m²/d | 35° | 10.9°F | 89.2°F | $0.155/kWh |
| Wisconsin (Milwaukee / Madison) | 6A | 4.31 kWh/m²/d | 39° | -6.5°F | 87.4°F | $0.176/kWh |
| Wyoming (Cheyenne) | 6B | 5.51 kWh/m²/d | 37° | -6.2°F | 88.5°F | $0.127/kWh |
Explore Interactive Calculators Using This Dataset
These deterministic calculators automatically integrate NREL solar radiation tables and ASHRAE design baselines for high-accuracy engineering modeling:
☀️ Solar Panel Output Calculator
Computes daily and annual kWh yield based on state peak sun hours and array derating.
📐 Solar Panel Tilt Calculator
Calculates seasonal optimal fixed and adjustable tilt angles by latitude.
❄️ Heat Pump Cost Calculator
Applies ASHRAE 99% winter design temperatures for thermal balance and auxiliary heat modeling.
🔥 Central AC Cost Calculator
Evaluates SEER2 cooling electricity expenses using ASHRAE 1% summer temperature bins.