Bluesky, in partnership with carbon-reduction company Sustain, is helping housing providers make the most of their housing stock’s solar energy potential.
Using high-resolution aerial photography combined with detailed 3D models, Bluesky measures the potential for solar energy generation for individual properties based on roof size and aspect while also taking into account details of roof ‘furniture’, such as skylights or dormer windows, and shading from nearby trees and buildings. These measurements can then be used to help housing providers generate income from the government’s Feed-in Tariffs.
Antony Scott, senior associate, Sustain, said, “Working with Bluesky, we have calculated the potential solar-energy yield of nearly 15,000 properties across the UK so far. Using the data supplied by Bluesky, we calculate the potential yield on a roof-by-roof basis and this can then be amalgamated into a value for a housing provider’s entire stock.”
Using the Bluesky-generated measurements, Sustain calculates the potential yield of each property based on the number of solar panels and the recorded roof aspect and slope. The algorithms used by Sustain also take into account the location of the property to normalise the calculation from optimum or maximum to a realistic ‘expected’ or average yield.
