Profiles for onshore wind, offshore wind, and solar PV were sourced from renewables ninja. This platform uses the VWF model to convert wind speed data from NASA MERRA reanalysis into power output, and the GSEE model (Global Solar Energy Estimator) to generate solar PV profiles from solar radiation data. For each model node, a representative latitude and longitude were selected, and the 2013 profile at that point was used as the node’s generation profile. Hydropower profiles were obtained from the PLEXOS World model data, which consolidates monthly capacity factors for 7,155 hydro power plants using data from the Global Reservoir and Dam Database (GRAND) and a study by Gernaat et al (2017). The study identified over 60,000 potential new hydropower sites and developed monthly discharge profiles for both new and existing sites, based on 30 years of runoff data. Data sourcing standards for RE profiles are detailed below

​
Data sourcing standards – RE profiles

Input VariableModel TypeGold Standard (‘Best in Class’)Silver Standard (‘Good’)Bronze Standard (‘Publishable’)
Renewable profilesCE & UDSub-Admin- polygons with weighted averages. Size of the polygon based on a peer-reviewed methodology.Synthetically generate a profile based on available historical data—best case from actual Admin-1, worst case from some other reference region.Renewable profiles are weighted averages over Admin 1.