Inspiration:
SOLAROPT is inspired by Alberta’s significant carbon emissions, driven by its oil and gas industry, which reached over 270 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2022 - a 52% rise since 1990. What it does: Simply enter your house address and roof size to discover how much CO₂ emissions you can save by switching to solar panels, along with a 5-year projection of financial savings.
How we built it:
We built the tool using the Google Maps API to retrieve address-specific solar irradiance and roof size, along with carbon emission data to calculate CO₂ savings. The backend is powered by Python and Dash for API development, while the frontend features a simple, responsive UI built with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Challenges we ran into:
A key challenge we faced was translating solar irradiance data into personalized, actionable insights. We researched and implemented existing formulas to accurately calculate CO₂ savings based on specific addresses and roof sizes. To make these insights accessible, we created dynamic visualizations using NumPy and Dash, allowing users to clearly see their environmental and financial impact over time.
Accomplishments that we’re proud of:
We’re thrilled to have transformed complex solar data into actionable insights, helping users see how much CO₂ they can save by simply switching to solar panels. By blending powerful APIs with dynamic visualizations, we’ve turned energy choices into clear, impactful decisions for a greener future.
What we learned:
We learned how crucial it is to balance technical accuracy with UX, ensuring that complex calculations are not only correct but also easily understood. We also discovered the challenges of integrating multiple data sources and optimizing them for real-time performance.
What’s next for Solaropt:
Our future plans include incorporating different locations in Canada and globally to give people worldwide a comprehensive view of both environmental and financial benefits of solar energy. This will help users make more informed decisions about investing in solar energy. Moreoever, if we had time, we would improve the ux and ui design, and provide more accurate, visually appealing dashboards.
Log in or sign up for Devpost to join the conversation.