UNSW rooftop solar mapping tool puts power in consumer hands – for free

A University of New South Wales developed online rooftop solar mapping tool has been opened up for use by households, small businesses and councils nationwide – for free – following a federal government-backed upgrade.

The Australian PV Institute (APVI) has launched version three of its SunSPOT solar calculator, offering more accurate rooftop solar estimates, a more user-friendly interface, and a version that is freely available to anyone across Australia.

The online tool, first launched in April of 2018, uses geographical information systems data to estimate the technical potential of rooftop solar – and now also home battery storage – accounting for the tilt of roof surfaces and shading at the site.

SunSPOT can then consumer-end data such as daily energy usage to provide the information consumers need to make an informed decision about how much solar they should install, how much that might cost, and how much they might save on energy.

Up until now, however, SunSPOT has been available only in areas where there is spatial mapping LiDAR data available and where the local council has taken up a subscription. This changes with V3, which allows the tool to be used for free by anyone, anywhere.

In no more than five minutes, SunSPOT users can find out what system size will give them the best return on their investment and get an estimate of the cost and annual savings – all before seeking out quotes.

They can also compare the costs and annual savings of different battery sizes, to help them to decide whether home storage is a sensible option.

“SunSPOT V3 has been built by engineers at UNSW’s world leading School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering specifically to help people understand what solar can do for them – not to sell them solar,” says Anna Bruce, SunSPOT project leader and associate professor of Renewable Energy Engineering at UNSW.

“It’s the only independent tool tailored to your circumstances that’s publicly available in Australia. All other solar calculators seek to capture personal information and generate sales leads,” Bruce says.

“Now, with nationwide delivery and improvements to its usability and accuracy, SunSPOT will be able to help the vast majority of Australians confidently navigate the complex solar market.”

Mike Roberts, SunSPOT project leader and senior research associate in the School for Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering at UNSW says the latest version of SunSPOT also offers reliable tailored answers to common questions about solar and batteries.

“Around one in three Australian houses already has solar, and with current high electricity prices, many more households and businesses are interested to find out about how they can benefit from solar,” Roberts says.

A separate premium version of SunSPOT – which involves mapping the area with LiDAR data – remains paid for through a subscription by the local council.