Renewable Resource of the Day: Google Wants to Weigh in on Whether You Should Install Solar Panels

Google wants to use its extensive data to expand the use of renewable resources.

The giant multi-faceted company launched Project Sunroof Aug. 18, which is a tool letting users put in their address and, through Google Maps, is able to calculate how much a homeowner could save if they installed solar panels.

The maps detail the regular amount of sunshine to the area, compared to the electricity costs. Its meant as a way to help those wondering whether investing in solar power would be the right move.



Here, let Google explain it to you:

As the price of installing solar has gotten less expensive, more homeowners are turning to it as a possible option for decreasing their energy bill. We want to make installing solar panels easy and understandable for anyone.

Project Sunroof puts Google's expansive data in mapping and computing resources to use, helping calculate the best solar plan for you.

When you enter your address, Project Sunroof looks up your home in Google Maps and combines that information with other databases to create your personalized roof analysis.

Don't worry: Project Sunroof doesn't give the address to anybody else unless you ask it to.

It's neat to see Google using its massive, some would say insidiously-invasive, data collection in an environmentally sound way.

Here's a video, because everyone loves videos.