3 Reasons to Use Solar Design Tools

Solar, Solar, Solar: the word is everywhere recently, right? We hear about solar energy charging our cars, cell phones and, of course, homes. So much is happening with solar right now that, for contractors who haven’t dabbled in the solar market yet, it may be time for them to get their feet wet. When it comes to designing and constructing a solar photovoltaic (PV) system for a building, there are several factors that come into play. Thankfully, in this day and age, there are plenty of technological that can aid in making the solar process much simpler. With specific tools focusing on solar design, you’ll be able to cut down on the time it takes to design the solar PV system for optimal performance. Why are these solar design tools useful?

Surveying.

Sometimes a sale can take several field visits for measurements and shade analysis of the area to ensure the building is suitable for a solar system. Each visit typically requires climbing up onto the roof for the measurements and analysis. If found to be suitable, a solar panel system is then designed specifically for the structure to produce the optimal energy output. Time is an asset we never get more of, so to make the most of your valuable time, invest in a product that allows you to identify and view the property immediately after the inquiry is made. High-resolution oblique and orthogonal aerial imagery is an excellent tool that is capable of providing valuable data, including an overview of the location immediately after speaking to the prospective buyer. Software that takes that imagery and allows you to view the land with in-depth detail, such as CONNECTExplorer™, can help you qualify the site immediately following the inquiry. Surveying the area from your desktop makes it possible to view the property’s obstructions as well as give the customer a likely quote prior to even stepping foot on site.

Safety.

Getting on a roof can be dangerous, especially when roofs have undiagnosed damage, or steep pitches. Having that software that you invested in can come in handy to eliminate the safety risk of getting on a roof for inspection. If you’re looking for the most accurate data and measurements that you can use from proposal through design, the EagleView SunSite™ report gives an in-depth view of the roof. They include diagrams that show the structure’s

• length
• rafter length
• pitch
• azimuth
• area
• grid
• penetrations

These reports are exportable as a .dxf file which can easily integrate into CAD programs for fast generation of building plans. All of the measurements and information can be produced without even setting foot on the roof itself, ensuring each employee’s safety in the solar installation process.

Accuracy.

Saying it’s not always easy to read handwriting is an understatement. When someone is rushing to write down numbers and measurements, there’s always a chance that a number two can resemble a number five, which could result in the measurements being entirely inaccurate. With solar reports derived from high-resolution aerial imagery, you can completely eliminate inaccurate measurements due to poor handwriting and human error. Instead of squinting and hoping the numbers are correct, you’re offered legible and guaranteed measurements in the solar report. Finally, we all know that sometimes mistakes happen, and poor communication can result in not finding all necessary measurements in the field, which could lead to another trip back to the site. Luckily, with these solar tools, you’re able to bypass all of that with the confidence of knowing you have the measurements of every angle of the structure in one document. Solar installation technologies and tools are meant to help you make the solar process the least complicated that it can be. With the right solar tools in place, your solar panel installation process can be simplified all of the way from proposal through design.