Google is making it easier for you to go solar.
With their new Project Sunroof, soon you’ll be able to use Google Earth & Maps technology to complete a shade analysis of your roof. Previously a task set aside for solar professionals, it’s one of the first steps in determining if solar power is the right choice for your household or business.
Currently only available in the San Francisco Bay Area, Fresno, Calif., and Boston, Google’s ad says that Project Sunroof will “soon… grow to include the entire country… and maybe even the whole world.”
How Does it Work?
Just enter your address and your solar analysis will be generated in seconds. It takes into account a 3-D model of your roof, the shadows that nearby trees and buildings cast, the angles of the sun over the course of a year, and historical weather patterns that might affect your solar production.
You will be given a recommendation on the size of your installation in square feet and a cost/savings estimate (including federal and state tax credits, utility rebates, etc.). After that, you’ll have the option to share your analysis with one or more local solar providers listed to begin discussing your next steps.
Ultimately, your solar provider will run a final solar production estimate before beginning installation. But isn’t it amazing what kind of detailed information we have at our fingertips?
Put in an address for one of the featured cities and take a look at what it will be like when it comes to our neck of the woods in Washington state.