Other than a mention in The Evening Blues, I have not seen a diary for this story, one that I think deserves more recognition.
Google is trying to take over America’s rooftops (with solar panels)
Google’s newest tool, Project Sunroof, combines the company’s aerial mapping technology with weather data to users to calculate just how much they’d benefit from investing in solar — and, ideally, to get them started on creating their own solar-powered dream homes. After receiving a custom recommendation for a solar installation size that could cover close to 100 percent of their energy needs and reviewing a simple break-down of different options for how to finance it, users who like what they see can also find information about local solar providers who can actually come and set the whole thing up.
The
expansive service this project provides can not be overstated. It uses Google Maps technology to figure out how much sunlight your home's rooftop gets in a given year - including factoring in historical weather data and shadows cast by nearby treetops and structures. Based on the calculations, it recommends an amount of solar panel coverage, and whether to lease, take out a loan, or buy them to get the best bang for your buck. To calculate the savings, they also take into account available federal and state tax credits, utility rebates, and other incentives, to bring home the message that for most homeowners, investing in renewable energy is more affordable than they might think.
Carl Elkin, Engineering Lead for Project Sunroof, explains further at Google Green Blog what drove him and google to take on this project.
The cost of solar power is at a record low. A typical solar home can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars per year on their electricity bill. But, as a volunteer with the Boston-based solar program Solarize Massachusetts and a solar homeowner myself, I’ve always been surprised at how many people I encounter who think that “my roof isn’t sunny enough for solar,” or “solar is just too expensive.” Certainly many of them are missing out on a chance to save money and be green.
Google has always been a big believer in zero-carbon energy, and solar power has been a central part of that vision -- from accelerating the growth of rooftop solar, to helping finance the largest solar farm in Africa, to building one of America’s biggest campus solar arrays here in Mountain View.
While Project Sunroof is currently only in its pilot phase, and only available for Boston, San Francisco and Fresno, google plans to expand the service to the entire country.
Even though it is not anywhere near its full potential, the impressive vision that this project demonstrates should make anyone with an interest in a more eco-friendly society excited. While there are doubtless a wide range of technical issues to overcome, what this project shows is that, dreams of such a future, with solar panels on every home for example, are well within our grasp.