Installing a solar panel goes far beyond finding a good location on the roof. In addition to covering all its legal and electrical requirements, it is necessary to study and understand the position of the Sun a little more than usual. The ShadowCalculator portal helps us in that regard with its function to calculate the shadow we receive during the day, which is also useful if the plan is to build a new property.
In some regions, the idea of installing solar panels is prohibitive, either because of the overall cost of the components or the endless bureaucratic maze. However, the installation does not have to be huge from the start. There are single solar panel kits at (more or less) reasonable prices, designed for enthusiasts looking to take their first steps.
But before investing money, you have to look up... and get to know the Sun in our area a little better. How much light is available? Can we calculate the shadow on our property at a specific time of day? The answer is yes, and it arrives through the ShadowCalculator portal.
How to Calculate the Shadow of a Building with ShadowCalculator
ShadowCalculator does not present major difficulties in its use. All we have to do is search our region on Google Maps, draw a perimeter over the building to analyze (the options are rectangles and freehand shapes), define the height of the four perimeter points (the default is 10 meters), and finally “generate” shadows by changing the time of day.
The green band in the graph indicates the hours in which we will not receive any sunlight, and it is accompanied by precise data on sunrise, noon, and sunset. For example, in my area there will be a total of 11 hours and 22 minutes of sunlight, dropping to less than ten hours once winter arrives.
From a technical point of view, ShadowCalculator is not intended to install solar panels, but to calculate the shadow that a new property will receive, but it is still useful if someone is considering their first photovoltaic adventure.
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