The world’s most popular search engine, Google receives a zillion number of queries related to solar-power on a daily basis.
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Because Google supports their employees, encouraging them to spend 20% of their time to work on their own inventions, Elkin started the project over a year ago.
Google’s new tool, Project Sunroof, aims to help homeowners determine if solar panels are a good fit for a home by calculating the roof’s solar potential. He is now working full-time on Project Sunroof from the company’s branch office in Cambridge, Mass.
I’m not necessarily endorsing SolarCity, but what I am saying is that it’s becoming easier (and less expensive) than ever to get a solar system if you want one. “One begins to wonder, ‘What’s holding people back?’ We believe it’s because people don’t realize how cheap it is”.
The tool works using a combination of data already collected by Google, which is now a subsidiary of parent company Alphabet. The service is now available for homeowners in Boston, Fresno & San Francisco.
Barry Fischer, a Google spokesperson explains, “As Google, we knew we had the expertise to do this well using Google maps and aerial imaging, “Project Sunroof” draws upon the same high-resolution imagery that powers Google Earth”.
Glancing through suburban Bay Area neighborhoods with the tool displays roofs that appear more solar-friendly than in greater Boston because of New England’s cloudier weather patterns and denser tree canopies. Providing a buyer and/or seller with information regarding the investment of solar panels and potential cost savings presents real value, making Project Sunroof a ideal fit for the real estate industry.
Google is in discussions with other providers to join the network as the pilot project gets user-tested and expands, said Joel Conkling, the business lead for Project Sunroof, who declined to name any specific companies.
After the analysis, if the user is interested in installing the solar panels, Google will also provide information about the local service providers.
The Project Sunroof will also recommend the size of solar system that you should install based on your average electricity bill.
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With lower priced solar and big players like Elon Musk in the game, people are warming up to solar.
