ShouldWeSolar? helps you estimate the financial and carbon costs and benefits of installing solar panels. It works for most addresses in London. Using data on the shape, size, and orientation of buildings (and open space), it works out how many solar panels could be fitted, and how much sunlight they would receive. This allows the potential electricity generation to be estimated.

As well as long-term calculations, it also shows you what you could be generating right now by taking into account the position of the Sun and weather details. You can use this information to start to think about what it might be like to live with solar power. The more of your own generation you use, the bigger the financial and carbon savings!

How does it work?

ShouldWeSolar? is based on another project called the London Solar Opportunity Map (built by researchers at UCL Energy Institute for the Mayor of London), which in turn uses data from a model called, which in turn uses data from a model called 3dStock

It employs LiDAR data, which is basically a really detailed 3D scan of the shape of the land, buildings, trees, etc. in London. Using this data we are able to work out how much sunlight a solar panel set up anywhere in London would receive at any minute of any day of the year. This helps us work out electricity generation potential. Of course it isn’t sunny of the time, so we also use weather data to refine our estimates.

Who's behind it?

ShouldWeSolar? was developed by Andy Brace, Michael Fell, and Dominic Humphrey, with additional input from Ed Sharp. It has received initial funding from UCL via the BSEER Development Fund. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please contact us at hello@shouldwesolar.com