Solar Potential API
Solar Potential is a simple tool for getting the estimated annual energy production of a PV system. It returns the estimated annual energy production of a PV system.
The Solar Potential API provides reliable and fast access to solar potential data through a simple REST interface. Built for developers who need consistent, high-quality results with minimal setup time.
To use Solar Potential, you need an API key. You can get one by creating a free account and visiting your dashboard.
GET Endpoint
https://api.apiverve.com/v1/solarpotentialCode Examples
Here are examples of how to call the Solar Potential API in different programming languages:
curl -X GET \
"https://api.apiverve.com/v1/solarpotential" \
-H "X-API-Key: your_api_key_here"const response = await fetch('https://api.apiverve.com/v1/solarpotential', {
method: 'GET',
headers: {
'X-API-Key': 'your_api_key_here',
'Content-Type': 'application/json'
}
});
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);import requests
headers = {
'X-API-Key': 'your_api_key_here',
'Content-Type': 'application/json'
}
response = requests.get('https://api.apiverve.com/v1/solarpotential', headers=headers)
data = response.json()
print(data)const https = require('https');
const url = require('url');
const options = {
method: 'GET',
headers: {
'X-API-Key': 'your_api_key_here',
'Content-Type': 'application/json'
}
};
const req = https.request('https://api.apiverve.com/v1/solarpotential', options, (res) => {
let data = '';
res.on('data', (chunk) => data += chunk);
res.on('end', () => console.log(JSON.parse(data)));
});
req.end();<?php
$ch = curl_init();
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, 'https://api.apiverve.com/v1/solarpotential');
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST, 'GET');
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, [
'X-API-Key: your_api_key_here',
'Content-Type: application/json'
]);
$response = curl_exec($ch);
curl_close($ch);
$data = json_decode($response, true);
print_r($data);
?>package main
import (
"fmt"
"io"
"net/http"
)
func main() {
req, _ := http.NewRequest("GET", "https://api.apiverve.com/v1/solarpotential", nil)
req.Header.Set("X-API-Key", "your_api_key_here")
req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
client := &http.Client{}
resp, err := client.Do(req)
if err != nil {
panic(err)
}
defer resp.Body.Close()
body, _ := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
fmt.Println(string(body))
}require 'net/http'
require 'json'
uri = URI('https://api.apiverve.com/v1/solarpotential')
http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = true
request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
request['X-API-Key'] = 'your_api_key_here'
request['Content-Type'] = 'application/json'
response = http.request(request)
puts JSON.pretty_generate(JSON.parse(response.body))using System;
using System.Net.Http;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
class Program
{
static async Task Main(string[] args)
{
using var client = new HttpClient();
client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("X-API-Key", "your_api_key_here");
var response = await client.GetAsync("https://api.apiverve.com/v1/solarpotential");
response.EnsureSuccessStatusCode();
var responseBody = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
Console.WriteLine(responseBody);
}
}Authentication
The Solar Potential API requires authentication via API key. Include your API key in the request header:
X-API-Key: your_api_key_hereInteractive API Playground
Test the Solar Potential API directly in your browser with live requests and responses.
Parameters
The following parameters are available for the Solar Potential API:
Get Solar Potential Data
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description | Default | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
lat | number | required | The latitude of the location Range: -90 - 90 | - | |
lon | number | required | The longitude of the location Range: -180 - 180 | - |
Response
The Solar Potential API returns responses in JSON, XML, YAML, and CSV formats:
Example Responses
{
"status": "ok",
"error": null,
"data": {
"coordinates": {
"latitude": 37.7749,
"longitude": -122.4194
},
"usableHours": {
"avgDailyUsableSunlightHours": 12.19,
"yearlyUsableSunlightHoursRaw": 4448,
"adjustedYearlyUsableSunlightHours": 1557
},
"bestDirection": "South",
"cloudFactor": 0.35,
"disclaimer": "This is a rough estimate based on coordinates and general climate patterns. For precise solar potential, consider local weather patterns, obstructions, and professional assessments."
}
}<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<response>
<status>ok</status>
<error xsi:nil="true" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"/>
<data>
<coordinates>
<latitude>37.7749</latitude>
<longitude>-122.4194</longitude>
</coordinates>
<usableHours>
<avgDailyUsableSunlightHours>12.19</avgDailyUsableSunlightHours>
<yearlyUsableSunlightHoursRaw>4448</yearlyUsableSunlightHoursRaw>
<adjustedYearlyUsableSunlightHours>1557</adjustedYearlyUsableSunlightHours>
</usableHours>
<bestDirection>South</bestDirection>
<cloudFactor>0.35</cloudFactor>
<disclaimer>This is a rough estimate based on coordinates and general climate patterns. For precise solar potential, consider local weather patterns, obstructions, and professional assessments.</disclaimer>
</data>
</response>
status: ok
error: null
data:
coordinates:
latitude: 37.7749
longitude: -122.4194
usableHours:
avgDailyUsableSunlightHours: 12.19
yearlyUsableSunlightHoursRaw: 4448
adjustedYearlyUsableSunlightHours: 1557
bestDirection: South
cloudFactor: 0.35
disclaimer: >-
This is a rough estimate based on coordinates and general climate patterns.
For precise solar potential, consider local weather patterns, obstructions,
and professional assessments.
| key | value |
|---|---|
| coordinates | {latitude:37.7749,longitude:-122.4194} |
| usableHours | {avgDailyUsableSunlightHours:12.19,yearlyUsableSunlightHoursRaw:4448,adjustedYearlyUsableSunlightHours:1557} |
| bestDirection | South |
| cloudFactor | 0.35 |
| disclaimer | This is a rough estimate based on coordinates and general climate patterns. For precise solar potential, consider local weather patterns, obstructions, and professional assessments. |
Response Structure
All API responses follow a consistent structure with the following fields:
| Field | Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
status | string | Indicates whether the request was successful ("ok") or failed ("error") | ok |
error | string | null | Contains error message if status is "error", otherwise null | null |
data | object | null | Contains the API response data if successful, otherwise null | {...} |
Learn more about response formats →
Response Data Fields
When the request is successful, the data object contains the following fields:
| Field | Type | Sample Value |
|---|---|---|
coordinates | object | |
â”” latitude | number | |
â”” longitude | number | |
usableHours | object | |
â”” avgDailyUsableSunlightHours | number | |
â”” yearlyUsableSunlightHoursRaw | number | |
â”” adjustedYearlyUsableSunlightHours | number | |
bestDirection | string | |
cloudFactor | number | |
disclaimer | string |
Headers
Required and optional headers for Solar Potential API requests:
| Header Name | Required | Example Value | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
X-API-Key | required | your_api_key_here | Your APIVerve API key. Found in your dashboard under API Keys. |
Accept | optional | application/json | Specify response format: application/json (default), application/xml, or application/yaml |
User-Agent | optional | MyApp/1.0 | Identifies your application for analytics and debugging purposes |
X-Request-ID | optional | req_123456789 | Custom request identifier for tracking and debugging requests |
Cache-Control | optional | no-cache | Control caching behavior for the request and response |
GraphQL AccessALPHA
Access Solar Potential through GraphQL to combine it with other API calls in a single request. Query only the solar potential data you need with precise field selection, and orchestrate complex data fetching workflows.
Credit Cost: Each API called in your GraphQL query consumes its standard credit cost.
POST https://api.apiverve.com/v1/graphqlquery {
solarpotential(
input: {
lat: 37.7749
lon: -122.4194
}
) {
coordinates {
latitude
longitude
}
usableHours {
avgDailyUsableSunlightHours
yearlyUsableSunlightHoursRaw
adjustedYearlyUsableSunlightHours
}
bestDirection
cloudFactor
disclaimer
}
}Note: Authentication is handled via the x-api-key header in your GraphQL request, not as a query parameter.
CORS Support
The Solar Potential API supports Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) with wildcard configuration, allowing you to call Solar Potential directly from browser-based applications without proxy servers.
| CORS Header | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
Access-Control-Allow-Origin | * | Accepts requests from any origin |
Access-Control-Allow-Methods | * | Accepts any HTTP method |
Access-Control-Allow-Headers | * | Accepts any request headers |
Browser Usage: You can call Solar Potential directly from JavaScript running in the browser without encountering CORS errors. No proxy server or additional configuration needed.
Rate Limiting
Solar Potential API requests are subject to rate limiting based on your subscription plan. These limits ensure fair usage and maintain service quality for all Solar Potential users.
| Plan | Rate Limit | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 5 requests/min | Hard rate limit enforced - exceeding will return 429 errors |
| Starter | No Limit | Production ready - standard traffic priority |
| Pro | No Limit | Production ready - preferred traffic priority |
| Mega | No Limit | Production ready - highest traffic priority |
Learn more about rate limiting →
Rate Limit Headers
When rate limits apply, each Solar Potential response includes headers to help you track your usage:
| Header | Description |
|---|---|
X-RateLimit-Limit | Maximum number of requests allowed per time window |
X-RateLimit-Remaining | Number of requests remaining in the current window |
X-RateLimit-Reset | Unix timestamp when the rate limit window resets |
Handling Rate Limits
Free Plan: When you exceed your rate limit, Solar Potential returns a 429 Too Many Requests status code. Your application should implement appropriate backoff logic to handle this gracefully.
Paid Plans: No rate limiting or throttling applied. All paid plans (Starter, Pro, Mega) are production-ready.
Best Practices for Solar Potential:
- Monitor the rate limit headers to track your Solar Potential usage (Free plan only)
- Cache solar potential responses where appropriate to reduce API calls
- Upgrade to Pro or Mega for guaranteed no-throttle Solar Potential performance
Note: Solar Potential rate limits are separate from credit consumption. You may have credits remaining but still hit rate limits when using Solar Potential on Free tier.
Error Codes
The Solar Potential API uses standard HTTP status codes to indicate success or failure:
| Code | Message | Description | Solution |
|---|---|---|---|
200 | OK | Request successful, data returned | No action needed - request was successful |
400 | Bad Request | Invalid request parameters or malformed request | Check required parameters and ensure values match expected formats |
401 | Unauthorized | Missing or invalid API key | Include x-api-key header with valid API key from dashboard |
403 | Forbidden | API key lacks permission or insufficient credits | Check credit balance in dashboard or upgrade plan |
429 | Too Many Requests | Rate limit exceeded (Free: 5 req/min) | Implement request throttling or upgrade to paid plan |
500 | Internal Server Error | Server error occurred | Retry request after a few seconds, contact support if persists |
503 | Service Unavailable | API temporarily unavailable | Wait and retry, check status page for maintenance updates |
Learn more about error handling →
Need help? Contact support with your X-Request-ID for assistance.
Integrate Solar Potential with SDKs
Get started quickly with official Solar Potential SDKs for your preferred language. Each library handles authentication, request formatting, and error handling automatically.
Available for Node.js, Python, C#/.NET, and Android/Java. All SDKs are open source and regularly updated.
Integrate Solar Potential with No-Code API Tools
Connect the Solar Potential API to your favorite automation platform without writing code. Build workflows that leverage solar potential data across thousands of apps.





All platforms use your same API key to access Solar Potential. Visit our integrations hub for step-by-step setup guides.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an API key for Solar Potential?
How many credits does Solar Potential cost?
Each successful Solar Potential API call consumes credits based on plan tier. Check the pricing section above for the exact credit cost. Failed requests and errors don't consume credits, so you only pay for successful solar potential lookups.
Can I use Solar Potential in production?
The free plan is for testing and development only. For production use of Solar Potential, upgrade to a paid plan (Starter, Pro, or Mega) which includes commercial use rights, no attribution requirements, and guaranteed uptime SLAs. All paid plans are production-ready.
Can I use Solar Potential from a browser?
What happens if I exceed my Solar Potential credit limit?
When you reach your monthly credit limit, Solar Potential API requests will return an error until you upgrade your plan or wait for the next billing cycle. You'll receive notifications at 80% and 95% usage to give you time to upgrade if needed.



