DENVER REGIONAL SOLAR MAP

Sustainability and job creation are two phrases you can’t get away from these days; rarely do they go together. But when the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) acquired funds from a New Energy and Economic Development (NEED) grant, they worked with the public/private partnership of Woolpert and the Colorado Solar Energies Industries Association (COSEIA) to create jobs, stimulate the economy and encourage a broader solar energy adoption.

Woolpert built a web-based computer program that analyzes the roof space and solar orientation of commercial and residential buildings in the 56 cities and counties that make up DRCOG. Using feature extraction, the program calculates the photovoltaic (PV) kilowatts for a specific location and helps users determine the return on investment of installing a PV system. The program also provides a list of certified installers near the user’s geographic region.

The new program launched in late 2010 and has generated buzz throughout the Denver area, with residents and businesses excited to get started using it.

View the website: https://solarmap.drcog.org/