New Features and Layers For Better Renewable Development GIS Mapping
Analyze Slope by Aspect
We know that the direction a slope faces may impact the extent to which you can site a solar project on that terrain. To help you better understand how much buildable acreage you actually have, we’ve added in a new setting where you can adjust the slope tolerance for different slope aspects to get a more nuanced and usable buildable acreage calculation for your projects in AO.
Don’t forget to update your Buildable Area Analysis templates, as applicable.
Parsed Mailing Address Fields
Parcel data is inherently messy, but our parcel data provider has recently started parsing the mailing address data into separate component columns to better standardize address formats across different counties.
Moving forward, any new parcels you pull in through the Parcels layer or through one of our automated parcel searches should have the below fields available to view or export for each part of the mailing address (check them out by configuring columns in your Parcels tab).
Make sure to update your Excel/CSV templates with these new fields, if desired.
If you do not see these new fields, you may need to re-pull in parcels via the original search or Parcels layer to import the new parsed fields.
New Parsed Mailing Address Fields
Street Address Number
Street Name Prefix
Street Name
Street Address Suffix
Street Name Directional Suffix
New Nationwide Layers
Check out new public nationwide layers we’ve recently added to the Layer Catalog.
Affordable Housing Locator (HUD)
Ammonia Pipelines (NuStar Energy)
Areas of Persistent Poverty - Counties, Tracts, (Department of Transportation)
Depth to Lithic Bedrock (NRCS)
Locale Map (NCES)
EV Charging Stations (U.S. DOT)
Farmland Productivity, Versatility, and Resiliency (Conservation Science Partners/American Farmland Trust)
National Coal Resources Data (USGS)
Places less than 10k (OCED)
Playa Lakes (Playa Lakes Joint Venture)
Prairie Chicken - Crucial Habitat (Southern Great Plains CHAT)
Protected Airspace (FAA)
Rural Energy for America Program Eligibility (USDA)
USGS DEM Resolution Availability Product Index (USGS)
Wind Ordinances (NREL)
Slope Aspect (N, E, S, W) (USGS)
Recent Fixes
Fixed a few issues with the Excel/CSV export including ensuring that empty columns in a saved template still export, long APNs are not automatically rounded, and fixed format of created date.
Fixed bug where constraints wouldn’t always load on the map on the initial Buildable Area Analysis run.
Updated error messaging when attempting to import an empty file.
Zip files with Shapefiles nested in folders will now be found and processed..
Drag and dropped Shapefile layers have a random color style assigned to them which will fix some legend issues with imported files.
Fixed issue with deselected parcels sometimes being included in a newly created super parcel.
Made it easier to see user-drawn polygons when the Parcels layer is active.