Google’s solar savings prediction tool Project Sunroof has expanded to cover all 50 states, up from 42 states in May 2016 according to VentureBeat.
Project Sunroof uses images from Google Maps and Google Earth, 3D modeling and machine learning to make the predictions, according to Google product manager Joel Conkling in a blog post.
“For every building included in the data, Project Sunroof calculates the amount of sunlight received by each portion of the roof over the course of a year, taking into account weather patterns, position of the sun in the sky at different times of year, and shade from nearby obstructions like trees and tall buildings,” Conkling writes. “Finally, the estimated sunlight is translated into energy production using industry standard models for solar installation performance.”
Project Sunroof county-level coverage from 2015-2017. Image: Google
Project Sunroof allows users to search for a home, personalize the solar analysis in reference to electric bills, compare finance options and contact solar providers for estimates.
The project’s new expanded coverage analyzes nearly 600 million buildings, and finds that 79% of all rooftops analyzed are technically viable for solar.
The tool also highlights the top 10 cities with the most solar potential. Houston is number one on the list, followed by Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Antonio.