Researchers develop low-cost tool to assess rooftop solar potential in informal settlements

Brazilian researchers created an open-source method using drones and GIS analysis to identify rooftop solar capacity in underserved communities, finding that informal settlements could generate enough power to meet 61% of local electricity

First covered Jul 30, 2026 · 12:00 AM PT · 1 article

Researchers develop low-cost tool to assess rooftop solar potential in informal settlements — Image via pv-magazine.com

Coverage

20h PV Magazine Low-cost open-access tool for rooftop PV assessment in informal settlements — Researchers in Brazil developed a low-cost method combining UAV photogrammetry, GIS analysis, and an open-source Python tool to estimate rooftop solar PV…

More coverage from around the web

finanznachrichten.de Low-cost open-access tool for rooftop PV assessment in informal settlements

dailymaverick.co.za Using rooftop solar to attack poverty in informal settlements

blogs.iadb.org Monitoring informal settlement growth in Manaus, Brazil with drones

researchgate.net What's driving solar energy adoption in Brazil? Exploring settlement patterns of place and space | Request PDF

sciencedirect.com What's driving solar energy adoption in Brazil? Exploring settlement patterns of place and space - ScienceDirect

Appeared in: 2026-07-31 (#12)

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