As people try to find alternatives to using the traditional type of electricity in their homes, the use of solar power systems is one of the many known setups that can help cut costs. While it easily harnesses the power of the sun, installing it can be quite a hassle, not to mention having no idea how much it can aid in saving electricity and money. With this in consideration, Google has devised a new feature that lets you measure how much solar power is on your roof.
Dubbed "Project Sunroof," the tool takes advantage of Google"s mapping feature. With all the current satellite imagery collected by the company over the years, two important pieces of data useful for the project can also reportedly be gathered: the total area of a roof and how much sunlight it gets in a course of a day.
With this data, an estimate is then given regarding how much rooftop space is available to install solar panels. The project also looks at how much it would cost to install one, including the consideration that these panels are leased, from a loan, or paid in full. Finally, it calculates the savings a person can get. Project Sunroof also connects users to solar installation companies for further information.
Unfortunately, the service isn"t available yet to a wide audience, and currently only works for residents of Fresno, Boston, and San Francisco. Google reportedly does have plans to expand the project to other cities, and in the future, worldwide.
This is not Google"s first project regarding the environment. Back in June, the company"s Street View service was expanded to the underwater, letting people swim with fish in the comfort of their homes.
Source: Google Green Blog | Image and video via Google