Energy company Total and cloud computing company Google Cloud have pooled their expertise to jointly develop an innovative tool – Solar Mapper – which aims to accelerate the deployment of solar panels for individuals.
The business-to-consumer tool works by providing an accurate and rapid estimate of the solar energy potential of an individual’s home, and will be rolled out first in Europe and then worldwide.
According to the developers, Solar Mapper uses new artificial intelligence algorithms that provide better results than current tools, especially by improving the quality of the data extracted from satellite images and the sharpness of the estimation of the solar potential. The tool also improves the relevance of the technology to be installed and its global geographical coverage.
In the case of France, Solar Mapper provides more than 90% geographical coverage, according to the developers. They state that this enables many more people to assess the solar potential of their homes, with greater accuracy than before.
Total chief technology officer Marie-Noëlle Séméria explains that Solar Mapper will enable Total to faster deploy solar panels on houses’ roofs, to provide its customers with more affordable and more accessible solar energy. “By combining Total's expertise in solar energy with Google Cloud's expertise in artificial intelligence and databases, we were able to develop an attractive and innovative offer together in just six months.”
In addition, Total plans to develop a business to business application of Solar Mapper, dedicated to industrial and commercial buildings and installations.
Solar Mapper is contributing to Total Group’s ambition to become a significant player in the production of renewable energies, toward getting to net-zero emissions by 2050 together with society.