A new map created by the City University of New York and the Department of Energy shows that two-thirds of the New York City's rooftops are suitable for solar power installations and if all of those roofs were outfitted with solar panels, the city could double the nation's current solar power capacity.
The NYC Solar Map was made by surveying every -- yes every -- rooftop in the city to see which were most primed for capturing solar power. A team of researchers made a series of flights over the city using a Lidar laser system to collect date on size, shape, angle and sun exposure vs. shade cover of each building. The rooftops that were deemed suitable could generate 5,847 MW, which is more than twice the nation's capacity of 2,300 MW, and enough to power half the city on solar power alone.
The map is interactive and allows users to type in addresses and get information on any building's solar potential. Building owners can even draw a mock system on their roof and see how much energy it would generate and how much money it would save. The map also has full details on all existing rooftop installations.
via NY Times
written by Edouard Stenger, June 21, 2011
written by Laurie, June 21, 2011
|< Prev||Next >|