Discover Google's Project Sunroof
New Google tool will provide an easy way to discover how well solar panels will work on your home.
The Google tool, Project Sunroof, allows you to simply enter your address and it will estimate the most suitable solar power system size for your home, expected power cost savings and most efficient positioning on your roof.
Using technology such as Google maps and variety of different databases, it calculates how much sunlight your home receives during the year, including restrictions due to shade from nearby trees and large structures, plus it takes into account other variables such as the usable roof space. Project Sunroof will also include statistics from past weather and temperature patterns which may affect the power production levels of a system in your area.
Unfortunately, Google has rolled out Project Sunroof to only three areas in the USA so far, the San Francisco Bay Area, Fresno California, and Greater Boston Massachusetts. Plans are to roll out to the rest of that country before moving overseas.
Australia's Solar Potential Tool
The good news for Brisbane residents is Australia already has this technology. Yes, you read that right, we're ahead of Google.
The Australian PV Institute, which is funded by the Federal Governments Australian Renewable Energy Agency, has a Live Solar Potential Tool which allows you to do much of the same thing Project Sunroof does. The tool estimates the electricity generation from a potential PV system on your roof. It also allows for variables such as:
- regional weather
- the surface area of the rooftop
- local solar radiation levels
- PV system tilt and location on the roof
- shading from nearby buildings, vegetation, and hills
If you have been trying to decide if solar power is right for your home (we have yet to find a home that it isn't). Take a look at the Live Solar Potential Tool to work out how much your home could save with free power from the sun. Then speak to our experienced solar team, we can custom design the perfect solar PV system for your home, call on 07 3883 2119 or complete our online quote requesttoday.
Queensland on top for solar power
From January 2007 to July 2015 Queensland has out-stripped the other states for solar PV installations. As of July this year, 28.1% of households in the state have solar PV systems, generating a total of 1377 MW, the highest in Australia followed by NSW at 13.5% of households and 997.4 MW.
