New solar app could help EV owners

Electric vehicle owners considering the installation of solar panels to help with home charging now have a new app to assist in their decision.

University of Auckland researcher Dr Kiti Suomalainen’s new online tool is ready to be tested by city residents, the NZ Herald reports.

Auckland suburbs like Botany Downs, Shelly Park, Massey and Flatbush have been identified as suburbs that could potentially harvest almost 4000 kilowatt hours (kWh) each year.

“Solar generation is rapidly rising in New Zealand, with homes leading the trend,” says Suomalainen.

“We wanted to offer an educational tool that is impartial and realistic to help people work out if solar is economic for their households or workplaces.”

The calculator is so accurate, it allows homeowners to zoom in on their rooftop and find the best spots to place panels, Suomalainen says.

It also gives them an indication of how much solar power they would use and how much they would sell back to the grid.