A project for a UK company that installs solar panels on rooftops. The idea is simple: homeowners enter their address, and the system calculates potential savings from solar installation and helps find the optimal system configuration.
How it works
The user types in their address. The app hits the Google Solar API, which returns data about the roof — its shape, orientation, how much sunlight it gets throughout the year. Then the geocoder places everything on a map so the user can see their actual roof with solar potential overlay.
The calculations
Based on the roof data, the system figures out the optimal panel configuration — how many panels fit, what angle, which part of the roof gives the best yield. Then it calculates projected energy production, savings on electricity bills, payback period, and CO2 reduction. All this gets rendered as interactive charts and a clean report.
Why it worked for the business
The company launched the service and immediately started getting leads just by sending direct mail offering this new tool. Instead of cold-calling people with a sales pitch, they sent letters saying "curious how much you could save with solar? Check your roof for free." People actually went to the site, punched in their address, saw real numbers for their specific house — and then called the company themselves.
Tech
Laravel backend handling the Google Solar API integration, geocoding, and report generation. Vue.js frontend with interactive maps and charts. PostgreSQL for storing calculations and lead data. Nothing exotic — just solid engineering that converts visitors into customers.
