Application of Remote Sensing and GIS technique in rooftop mapping and PV module layout design

The rooftop solar market is at an early stage in India with many potential participants. India will likely see a record growth in the rooftop solar segment in the coming years. The current project aims at mapping the Solar Rooftop and designing the layout for the Photovoltaic (PV) modules on the roofs of a subset of New Delhi region. The project includes estimation of the height of the buildings using a high resolution optical imagery, from shadow of the building, without involving any physical measurement. These heights are then utilized to prepare 3D Models for Solar Rooftop Mapping using Geographical Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing. Occlusions and shadows, which lead to poor distinction of neighboring buildings, can have a significant impact on 3D modeling. Important data included the angle and alignment of the roof, the sun's path across the sky, shadows cast by a chimney or another rooftop over the course of the day, and the seasonal change in hours of sunlight. 3D building model was designed using various softwares. After solar irradiance calculations and finding out the shadow free area on the roofs, i.e. Photovoltaic (PV) layout of the rooftops can be used for effective and efficient installation of PV modules. This project is an attempt to utilize renewable energy resources by placing photovoltaic modules on rooftops for fulfilling residential electricity purposes.