Yesterday, Mayor Walsh launched Solar SystemTM Boston, a new map which enables homeowners and businesses to quickly and easily understand their roof’s solar potential and installation cost estimates. With over 12 MW of solar PV installed in Boston producing roughly enough power to supply 2,000 homes, the new solar map is one more tool to accelerate the adoption of solar and help Boston meet its goal of installing 25 MW of solar by 2020.
“Going solar is increasingly an attractive option for Boston homes and businesses,” said Mayor Walsh. “With solar prices plummeting, and Massachusetts having some of the best incentives in the country, this map will introduce the benefits of solar to a broader audience.”
Solar SystemTM Boston is a partnership with Mapdwell®, a Boston-based M.I.T. spin-off that looks to advance collective sustainability through information, education, and choice architecture, to provide accurate and accessible information about going solar. The tool has mapped all 127,000 buildings in Boston for their solar potential and found that Boston has a potential for 2.2 GW (gigawatts) of solar power. While there are barriers to putting solar PV on every building with good sun access such as roof age and financing constraints, this map confirms the significant potential for solar to expand rapidly in Boston as installation prices continue to drop.
“The City of Boston prides itself on using data and innovative mapping technology to have a positive impact ,” said Jascha Franklin-Hodge, Chief Information Officer for the City of Boston. “Solar SystemTM Boston will make it easier for residents to take action to increase the use of sustainable energy in the City.”
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