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The Cambridge Solar Tool shows Cambridge residents, businesses, and property owners how much electricity can be produced on their rooftops from solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, how the financial investment will pay off, and how much pollution will be reduced.
The Solar Map was developed by the Sustainable Design Lab at MIT and Modern Development Studio LLC (MoDe Studio), —a consulting, design, and development workshop based in Boston— in collaboration with the City of Cambridge Community Development Department. MIT created the annual electricity yield map from PV for virtually all Cambridge rooftops, MoDe Studio designed and developed the online viewer as well as its financial and environmental modules, while the City of Cambridge provided the underlying data and images. Technical details can be found under the "Assumptions" tab. Support for this project was also provided by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1038264 as well as Cambridge's Information Technology Department. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
The Solar Tool has been receiving attention across the web. Read the article on the Fast Company web site.
Solar energy is a key strategy for Cambridge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make the community more resilient to the impacts of climate change. The Cambridge Energy Alliance (CEA) program assists the community in taking the next steps toward installing a PV system.
Please note that the tool is not a substitute for an on-site assessment by a solar installer, as some specific building features (such as rooftop equipment), site conditions, and financial factors might not be accounted for in this tool. The City of Cambridge intends to regularly update the tool to reflect changing market conditions and financial incentives. Please note that the PV market is very dynamic and some assumptions may at times not be entirely up to date, given the ever-changing reality of the market. Please contact CEA with renewable energy and energy efficiency related questions.
As a governmental entity, the Massachusetts Public Records Law applies to records made or received by the City. Any information received through use of this site is subject to the same provisions as information provided on paper.
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