Estimate Your Roof's Solar Potential with RoofRay

Speaking of useful online tools, I should mention also a solar array modelling service, provided by RoofRay on their homepage. They use Google Maps and various other information to help you estimate the solar potential of your home or business before taking the financial plunge to invest in solar energy.

Using the site's modelling tools, you can evaluate how much solar energy your home could capture and how that would affect your monthly bills based on past weather conditions, current electricity bills, the slope of your house, as well as how many panels your roof can hold.

With Google Maps you can calculate the square footage of your roof and build virtual panels. Then RoofRay estimates the output potential of the roof, costs of installation, and ROI. Another section shows existing installations that have already been completed by other people, including specifics of the roof used and total peak power.

Of course, RoofRay does not replace solar experts, but undoubtedly could answer some of your basic questions, and generally it is a quite interesting online service that deserves our attention.

Website: www.roofray.com

Updated 2021: Seems like this site is not working anymore, so you can try:      Solar Calculator (solarreviews.com),  SUNSEI Solar Design Tool & Google Project Sunroof

Solar Power Calculating Tools Online

There are a lot of online solar power calculating tools that can help you size your solar power installation. These tools are great in order to determinate how much solar power you'll need to run your home appliances.

NREL's PVWatts® Calculator - Estimates the energy production and cost of energy of grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) energy systems throughout the world. It allows homeowners, small building owners, installers and manufacturers to easily develop estimates of the performance of potential PV installations.

Off-Grid Solar System Calculator - Wholesale Solar custom designs Off-Grid Solar Home Power Systems. Calculate your appliance needs, get an approximate system size, learn what Off-Grid system is best for you!

CalculationSolar.com - free online platform, which perform calculation of photovoltaic solar installations anywhere in the world.

Solar Calculator (EnergySage) - Use this solar panel calculator to quickly estimate your solar potential and savings by address. Estimates are based on your roof, electricity bill, and actual offers in your area.

Solar Calculators (altE) - a number of useful tools to help estimate your electricity usage, sizing for your grid-tie or off-grid solar power system and more.

Solar Panel (Power) Calculator - online tool used in electrical engineering to estimate the total power output, solar system output voltage and current when the number of solar panel units connected in series or parallel, panel efficiency, total area and total width.

Photovoltaic power calculator - quick online calculation of solar photovoltaic power and energy (PV panels or systems).

Solar Power Calculator - this tool will help you determine the yearly savings you will earn when installing  a PV solar system for your home.

PV Calculator | PVshop.eu - PhotoVoltaic calculator for grid connected and PV off-grid systems in PVshop.eu. (EU)

Solar Energy Calculator | Energy Saving Trust - use the Solar Energy Calculator for an idea as to the benefits you may see from installing a solar PV system. This tool gives estimates based on information you provide, and a number of assumptions to indicate potential benefits. This is to help you decide whether a PV system is for you. (UK)

Solar Power Calculator   - an independent resource for calculating your solar power requirements and potential monetary savings. Find out if solar is right for you. (AU)

Amp & Watt Hour Calculator & Solar System design Tool - This Amp &Watt Hour Calculator is provided to help you make some basic electrical calculations and design your own solar power system. (AU)

Keep in mind that the above calculators are useful as a general guide for sizing your solar electricity system and you probably will also need advices and help from professionals.