Total and Google Cloud have pooled their expertise to jointly develop an innovative tool, Solar Mapper – a tool for estimating the solar energy potential of houses’ roofs.
In a statement on Tuesday, Total said the new tech is aimed at accelerating the deployment of solar panels for individuals (B2C) by providing an accurate and rapid estimate of the solar energy potential of their homes, first in Europe and then worldwide.
How the Solar Mapper Works
It said, “solar Mapper uses brand-new artificial intelligence algorithms that provide better results than current tools, especially by improving: the quality of the data extracted from satellite images; the sharpness of the estimation of the solar potential; the relevance of the technology to be installed; the global geographical coverage of the tool.
Continuing, it said, “In the case of France, Solar Mapper provides more than 90% geographical coverage, allowing many more people to assess the solar potential of their homes, with greater accuracy than before.
“Solar Mapper will enable Total to faster deploy solar panels on the houses’ roofs, in order to provide its customers with more affordable and more accessible solar energy,” explains Marie-Noëlle Séméria, Total’s Chief Technology Officer.
“By combining Total’s expertise in solar energy with Google Cloud’s expertise in artificial intelligence and databases, we were able to develop an attractive and innovative offer together in just 6 months.”
In addition, Total plans to develop a B2B application of Solar Mapper, dedicated to industrial and commercial buildings and installations.
Solar Mapper is contributing to the Group’s ambition to become a world leader in the production of renewable energies, toward getting to net-zero emissions by 2050 together with society.
Total said it is deploying an ambitious R&D programme, worth nearly $1 billion a year. Adding that its R&D relies on a network of more than 4,300 employees in 18 research centres around the world, as well as on numerous partnerships with universities, start-ups and industrial companies.
Its investments are mainly devoted to a low-carbon energy mix (40%) as well as to digital, safety and the environment, operational efficiency and new products. It files more than 200 patents every year.
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