New York Unveils Statewide Solar Map
The NY Solar Map and Portal was launched today (June 20) at the 10th Annual NY Solar Summit. The map and portal offers New Yorkers throughout the state detailed information about the solar potential of their homes and buildings along with detailed technical and economic calculations of the cost of a solar system.
Sustainable City University of New York (CUNY), which led development of the tools, said it is the country's first comprehensive statewide solar map with a robust informational portal. The university developed the map with a team of researchers, IT and GIS experts as well as solar companies throughout the state. 
"Through Governor Cuomo's NY-Sun initiative, solar in NYS is setting records in installation and job growth in New York State," said John B. Rhodes, President and CEO, NYSERDA. "The NY Solar Map and Portal gives communities, businesses, hospitals, colleges and others the tools to help them choose to install solar, which adds good jobs to the State's clean energy economy and renewables to the State's energy mix."
The NY Solar Map includes a 'draw solar' tool allowing users to show where they want to install solar. The tool accounts for shading from trees and other obstructions that could affect the performance of a solar array. It also has an 'In Your Area' feature that shows users local 'solarize' group purchasing campaigns and community solar opportunities for renters, investors and those with non-viable roofs.
The NY Solar Map and Portal builds on the NYC Solar Map, which launched in 2010. That map also was built by Sustainable CUNY.
"In NYC, we've more than tripled solar since 2014 -- focusing on cutting red tape and making lower-cost solar accessible to as many New Yorkers as possible, as we work toward our OneNYC goal of an 80 percent reduction in emissions by 2050," said NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio. "The NY Solar Map will help ensure New Yorkers have the information they need to make the switch to clean energy, and we're proud to support this valuable new tool."
The university partnered with sixteen municipalities to give the new tools localized expertise to help streamline permitting, develop a Model Solar Zoning Law and Toolkit, create group purchasing campaigns and host workshops.
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