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Data Access Viewer (DAV)

Introduction

The POWER Data Access Viewer (DAV) Web Mapping Application contains geospatially enabled solar, meteorological, and cloud related parameters formulated for assessing and designing renewable energy systems. The POWER DAV is a responsive widget based application which runs on all devices (PC, laptop, tablet, smartphone) and all platforms (Apple, Android, and Windows). This design provides users with access to POWER data in the office or in the field. The POWER Data Archive is made available through a series of services that are extensible and integral beyond the web mapping application. POWER provides various text, tabular, geospatial datasets, and files which users can download and/or integrate into custom software and applications for further processing, analysis, and visualization.

POWER DAV leverages the ArcGIS API for JavaScript and is built upon the Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS framework. This integral framework provides the tools and interface for developing custom applications and widgets for geospatial data interaction, subsetting, geoprocessing, and analysis.

This guide provides an introduction to the POWER DAV Web Mapping Application.

Success

Make sure to use the Data Access Viewer (DAV) to take advantage of the latest POWER data and enhancements!

  • POWER Data Access Viewer is a web-based application that currently supports Chrome, Safari, Edge, and Firefox. Please ensure the most current version of the browser is installed on your device for full compatibility.

Danger

Internet Explorer is not supported.

Splash Screen

When the application loads, you will notice a Splash screen summarizing application information and available widgets for use. These widgets provide functionality for viewing, downloading, and interacting with global datasets, map features, and tools.

DAV Splash Page

Once the application loads, you will notice the application has various widgets in the top right and bottom of the map. The POWER Single Point Data Access Widget opens on application startup by default.

Widgets and Tools

This sections provides the layout and functionality of the POWER DAV allowing users the ability to locate, analyze, and interact with geographic data, map features, and obtain POWER datasets.

DAV Home Page

  • Map Widgets provide interactive map tools and app information.
  • Map Viewer Tools includes interactive maps and mapping functionality.
  • Data Access Widgets are used to download POWER data.

Map Widgets

The Map Widgets provide various tools and functions for analyzing, measuring, and interacting with POWER data and maps. The Map Widget panels will display full screen depending on the size of the device. Users can minimize the panel while interacting with the map viewer, rather than close the widget completely.

Image Description
Basemap Gallery The 'Basemap Gallery' widget presents a gallery of basemaps to select as the application's underlying basemap.
Draw The 'Draw' widget allows you to create graphics, text, and measurements that display on the map.
Measurement The 'Measurement' widget allows the user to measure the area of a polygon, length of a line, or find coordinates of a point.
Information The 'Information' widget contains additional links, resources, and information about the POWER project and datasets.
Overview Map The 'Overview Map' provides a regional view to help a user determine their zoomed in location.

Map Viewer Tools

The Map Viewer Tools provides the interface for viewing and interacting with interactive maps and map layers. Users can select various basemaps to view, search and zoom the map by coordinates or address, and locate their position on the map.

Image Description
zoom-in The 'Zoom In' button enlargers the map for an area of interest.
zoom-out The 'Zoom Out' button makes the map smaller.
Default Extent The 'Default Extent' widget zooms the map to the original extent.
My Location The 'My Location' widget allows the application to detect your IP location and zoom the map to it. The accuracy is network and device dependent.

Data Access Widgets

The Data Access Widgets allow users to download POWER data by parameter, location, time, data averages, and user community. Clicking on the individual widget icons will open the widget panel for that particular widget. Each widget provides various functionality and available data.

Image Description
Single Point Data Access The ‘POWER Single Point Data Access’ widget provides access to near real-time ½ x ½ degree datasets by single point (lat/lon).
Regional Downloads The 'POWER Regional Data Access' widget provides access to near real-time ½ x ½ degree datasets by region (Bottom-left lat/lon, Upper-right lat/lon).
Global Downloads The ‘POWER Global Downloads’ widget provides access to Climatology ½ x ½ degree datasets for the entire globe.
Layer List The 'POWER Layer List' widget provides users the ability to visualize global climatological POWER parameters on a gridded map.
Reports Data Access The 'POWER Reports' widget provides users the ability to generate custom climatological reports and data by single point (lat/lon).

Single Point Data Access

The 'POWER Single Point Data Access' widget provides access to near real time datasets by single point (lat/lon). Steps and details for using this widget are shown below.

Data Access Steps

1) Choose a User Community: This will determine which units per parameter to return to the user for their selection. For example, Insolation on a Horizontal Surface is returned in Millijoules (MJ) for 'Agroclimatology' and kilowatt-hour (kWh) for both 'Renewable Energy' and 'Sustainable Buildings.'

2) Choose a Temporal Average: This will determine the temporal average of the datasets to be returned by the widget.

3) Enter Lat/Lon or Add a Point to Map: Users can enter global coordinates in decimal degrees or click the small icon and click a point on the map to retrieve coordinates at the map click location. Users can also clear the coordinates and map point.

4) Select Time Extent: Users can select a Start and End time between 01/01/1981 – Near Real Time (NRT) to access data for selected parameters. Be sure to view the data availability per model/parameter as some models are available before others.

5) Select Output File Formats: Various files are available for download including GeoJSON, CSV, ASCII, ICASA, and NetCDF. By default, if the user selects ICASA, this file will be populated with the necessary ICASA parameters. All other files requested will be populated with ICASA parameters and additional parameters chosen. Users can choose as many formats as necessary for their download and each will be added to the widget.

6) Select Parameters: Users can select up to 20 parameters. Choosing 'ICASA' as an Output File Format will add the necessary parameters to the data request. Additional chosen parameters will be added to other file types, although only 'ICASA' parameters will be added to the 'ICASA' file.

7) Submit and Process: Once all data options have been made, the user can submit and retrieve the requested files. A line chart and histogram are also shown per parameter. Users can download the files and interact with the charts as necessary. Various chart tools are available such as export to PNG, Zoom In, Zoom Out, and Edit in the Cloud.

Global Downloads

The 'POWER Global Downloads' widget provides access to Climatology datasets for the entire globe. Steps and details for using this widget are shown below.

Data Access Steps

1) Choose a Tool: This will determine the temporal average of the datasets. Users can select either Climatology or Thermal Zones.

2) Choose a User Community: This will determine which units per parameter to return to the user for their selection. For example: Insolation on a Horizontal Surface is returned in Millijoules (MJ) for 'Agroclimatology' and kilowatt-hour (kWh) for both 'Renewable Energy' and 'Sustainable Buildings.'

3) Select Output File Format: Various files are available for download including GeoJSON, CSV, ASCII, ICASA, and NetCDF. By default, if the user selects ICASA, this file will be populated with the necessary ICASA parameters. All other files requested will be populated with ICASA parameters and additional parameters chosen. Users can choose only one file format per data request for the global downloads widget.

files may take 1 - 2 minutes to download depending on file format.

4) Select Parameters: Users are limited to select a maximum of 3 parameters.

5) Submit and Process: Once all data options have been made, the user can submit and retrieve the requested file. Line charts and histograms are not available in the global downloads widget.

POWER Layer List

The 'POWER Layer List' widget provides users the ability to visualize global climatological POWER parameters on a gridded map.

Data Access Steps

  • Use the 'Month' slider to alternate between parameter monthly averages.
  • Use the 'Opacity' slider to adjust the parameter layer opacity.
  • Turn on and off a 1 x 1 degree Map Grid feature service.
  • Swipe a parameter layer across the map.
  • Left-Click on map for data set values by location.

Reports Data Access

The 'POWER Reports Data Access' widget provides access to reports from 2001 - 2018 by point in a similar fashion to the 'POWER Single Point Data Access' widget. Steps and details for using this widget are shown below.

Data Access Steps

1) Choose a Report Type: Users can select to view a report on either Climatic Design Conditions, Climate Anomalies, or a Windrose.

2) Enter lat/lon or add a point to map: Users can enter global coordinates in decimal degrees or click the small icon and click a point on the map to retrieve coordinates at the map click location. Users can also clear the coordinates and map point.

3) Select Time Extent: Users can select a start and end year from 2001 - 2018.

4) Choose a Report Type: Users can select to have the report output as either an HTML or XLSX file.

5) Submit and Process: Once all data options have been made, the user can submit and retrieve the requested report.