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New Google Tool, Project Sunroof, Shows How Much Sunlight Your Home Receives

As the cost of installing solar panels hits record lows, Google is now offering a tool that allows homeowners to see just how much they could save.

Launched Monday, Project Sunroof  calculates how many sunlight hours your roof receives each year, how much you could save over a 20-year period, and what system would work best for your house just by entering the street address.

Matthew Welch is the owner of Earth Electric, a company that installs solar panels. He thinks Project Sunroof will inspire homeowners to take the leap and go solar.

“It's going to generate a lot of buzz right now," Welch said. "I expect my phone to ring.”

The site offers an estimated savings. Welch says those prices may vary by company and based on whether you have any obstructions on your roof.

“For our quotes … we absolutely must come out to the house and do a site survey,” he said.

Earth Electric visited a homeowner on Tuesday who said the Project Sunroof estimates were spot on.

“We put a lot of research into our decision and [Project Sunroof] confirmed what we had found. It recommended a system very close to the size we got,” homeowner Anne Cowan said.

Project Sunroof is currently only available in the Bay Area, Fresno, Calif., and Boston, Mass.

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