1 research outputs found
Mapping solar array location, size, and capacity using deep learning and overhead imagery
The effective integration of distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays into
existing power grids will require access to high quality data; the location,
power capacity, and energy generation of individual solar PV installations.
Unfortunately, existing methods for obtaining this data are limited in their
spatial resolution and completeness. We propose a general framework for
accurately and cheaply mapping individual PV arrays, and their capacities, over
large geographic areas. At the core of this approach is a deep learning
algorithm called SolarMapper - which we make publicly available - that can
automatically map PV arrays in high resolution overhead imagery. We estimate
the performance of SolarMapper on a large dataset of overhead imagery across
three US cities in California. We also describe a procedure for deploying
SolarMapper to new geographic regions, so that it can be utilized by others. We
demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed deployment procedure by using it
to map solar arrays across the entire US state of Connecticut (CT). Using these
results, we demonstrate that we achieve highly accurate estimates of total
installed PV capacity within each of CT's 168 municipal regions