How we make the fastest, most accurate production estimates in solar

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By using high resolution drone imagery, GPS and other technology, we plan and model systems for homeowners quicker and more accurately than manual measurements can achieve.

From production estimates to forecasts of financial benefits to roof measurements to ensure a sound system design, measurement is key to analyzing your home’s solar potential. By leveraging innovative technology from our partners at Aurora Solar, we’re able to measure roof features and forecast production with pinpoint accuracy in mere minutes – much faster than traditional methods.

Site modeling

Using high resolution satellite imagery coupled with LIDAR, a laser range-finding and measurement method, we can calculate the angle and size of a roof. We can also draw in obstructions like trees and other buildings into our 3D virtual model of the home, ensuring all factors are accounted for

Once we have a model of the site, we can factor in the path of the sun throughout the year. This gives us the irradiance of the roof – a measurement of the available solar power per square foot. By combining shade analysis with irradiance, and accounting for the fluctuations of both due to seasonal changes in the path of the sun, we’re able to achieve extremely accurate production estimates.

Not only is this method far more accurate than traditional, paper-and-pencil estimates – and even estimates made with other forecasting technologies that aren’t as granular in accounting shading and irradiance – it’s much faster, too. We’re able to calculate highly accurate estimates and design engineering plan sets in just a few minutes, which expedites installation timelines.

Energy impact modeling

The next factor to consider after estimating system production is the homeowner’s energy usage. We’re able to use utility history to forecast your energy usage, and can even estimate future usage from new appliances or equipment.

Using that information along with the solar irradiance information from the site model tool, we can make very accurate predictions of what solar power could save you on your monthly utility bill and over the course of the life of your system.

Interactive experience

Our process allows our energy consultants to drag and drop individual components of the solar system into an interactive computer-aided design system, with the homeowner present via screenshare to join in the process and provide input. Our technology checks in real time to ensure maximum system efficiency and cost effectiveness and for code compliance issues. The resulting model is easily converted to a 2D engineering plan set to expedite the permit approval process. .

Interested in going solar with Zenernet? Ready to see what our cutting edge technologies can do for you? Click “Get Started” to sign up for a complimentary, contact-free consultation.

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