SUN & SHADOW

Sun & Shadow (Solar Exposure) Analysis

STREAM computes how many hours of sunlight each part of your terrain receives, with real topographic shadow from the surrounding relief. Choose an instant, day, month or full year, set the latitude, and map sunlit versus shaded ground across the whole surface.

What is sun and shadow analysis?

Sun and shadow analysis simulates the sun's path over an elevation surface and computes how long each point is lit versus shaded by the surrounding terrain. The result is a sunlight-hours map, not just a single shading image.

It matters wherever exposure drives a decision — solar panel siting, agriculture and greenhouses, landscape and building layout.

Sun and Shadow Analysis Software in STREAM

Sunlight hours with real shadow

Compute sunlight duration per cell including topographic shadow cast by the surrounding relief.

Instant, daily, monthly, yearly

Pick the time mode and set the latitude; STREAM sums exposure over the period you choose.

Find the sunniest areas

Rank and highlight the areas that receive the most sun across the site.

Export the result

Add it as a layer, a GeoTIFF raster, or export the sunniest spots as a numbered 3D point (DXF) layer.

Frequently asked questions

Does STREAM include topographic shadow?

Yes. Sun & shadow analysis includes the shadow cast by the surrounding relief, so results reflect the real terrain, not a flat surface.

Is the result in energy (kWh)?

No — results are in sunlight hours (relative, clear-sky), meant for comparing areas against each other, not absolute energy yield.

What is it used for?

Solar panel siting, agriculture and greenhouse planning, and landscape or building layout — anywhere sun exposure and shadow matter.

Try Sun and Shadow Analysis in STREAM

Free beta for Windows x64. Works fully offline with GeoTIFF, LAS/LAZ and DXF.

Download STREAM free