Scanifly, the solar industry’s leader in PV design and field operations software, has officially announced a strategic partnership with EnergySage, the nation’s largest online solar marketplace.
According to certain reports, the staged integration arrives on the scene bearing an ability to enhance EnergySage’s Autoquote product on the back of Scanifly’s AI design technology. The idea here is to make it possible for homeowners to receive quotes with array layouts and more accurate production estimates, while simultaneously allowing installers to fully customize their project and quote parameters.
To understand the significance of such a development, we must take into account how it addresses a critical challenge for homeowners and contractors. This particular challenge relates to creating high-fidelity array layouts and production estimates quickly and easily, without the need for a site visit.
You see, ongoing solar projects at this stage, more often that, are modeled using Google’s Project Sunroof data without panel placement, something which can lead to unrealistic expectations and costly change orders during installation.
“The solar industry has been waiting for marketplace technology that matches the accuracy of the leading PV design tools,” said Jason Steinberg, CEO of Scanifly. “Our AI technology simulates thousands of panel layouts in seconds to calculate what’s actually achievable on each roof. By partnering with EnergySage, we’re bringing that level of precision to their marketplace, giving installers confidence in their quotes and homeowners realistic expectations from day one.”
Talk about the whole value proposition on a slightly deeper level, we begin from the promise of visual module placement that really goes the distance to show likely array layouts for homeowners to visualize the potential system’s aesthetic.
Next up, we have industry-leading production accuracy coming into play. The resulting technology will achieve this through PVWatts integration and system loss calculations that raw Google data has historically omitted.
Another detail worth a mention is rooted in the solution’s ability to generate comprehensive solar layouts in no more than 15 minutes, without cutting any corners whatsoever on the quality front.
Rounding up highlights would be the focus on bringing forth cutting-edge 3D processing technology, which should come in handy to transform AI segments into precise layouts with computational geometry expertise.
Among other things, we ought to acknowledge that the integration in question is designed to leverage Scanifly’s unique approach of combining state-of-the-art AI with classical computational methods developed through years of drone-based photogrammetry work. Markedly enough, unlike AI tools that rely solely on 2D processing, Scanifly’s technology processes satellite data into the 3D space for superior roof segmentation and obstruction detection.
The partnership makes up the first phase of a broader collaboration between Scanifly and EnergySage. As for future enhancements, they are expected to let installers attain even more control in the context of customizing quoting parameters based on factors, such as regional requirements, TSRF and ASA limits, panel placement, as well as orientation preferences.
As for the availability, contractors and homeowners can access the enhanced Autoquote experience starting today across EnergySage’s marketplace.
“EnergySage has always been committed to transparency and accuracy in the solar shopping process,” said Charlie Hadlow, President and COO of EnergySage. “Partnering with Scanifly allows us to delight shoppers with fast, accurate quotes while simultaneously helping our contractors to streamline their operations. Removing friction for both homeowners and installer partners makes the entire process simpler and contributes to keeping costs down.”
