# SolarScope — Full AI Reference > AI-Powered Solar Energy Analysis Platform ## About SolarScope SolarScope is a comprehensive solar energy analysis platform designed for homeowners, solar installers, commercial facility managers, and solar developers. It combines real-time data from NASA POWER, NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory), and Esri ArcGIS Living Atlas with a GPT-4o AI engine to produce accurate, actionable solar assessments for any US location. The platform replaces expensive desktop tools like Aurora Solar, HelioScope, and PVcase with an accessible web interface that delivers professional-grade analysis in minutes. --- ## Core Features ### Site Studio The primary analysis workspace. Users select any US location on an interactive Leaflet map to instantly retrieve: - Solar irradiance data (GHI, DNI, DHI) from NREL Solar Resource API - Peak sun hours (annual and monthly breakdown) - Production estimates for any system size - Flood zone risk assessment from FEMA NFHL data - Utility territory and net metering information - Grid hosting capacity estimates - Optimal tilt angle and azimuth recommendations - ArcGIS enterprise-grade PV electricity output (Global Solar Atlas) An AI assistant (GPT-4o) synthesizes all data layers into a plain-language recommendation covering solar viability, system sizing, financial estimates, and installation considerations. Users can ask follow-up questions in a persistent chat interface. ### AI Assistant A standalone conversational interface for solar energy questions. Supports: - Technical questions about solar panel technology (monocrystalline, polycrystalline, thin-film) - Financial analysis (payback periods, ROI, net metering, incentives) - Regulatory and interconnection guidance - System design questions (string inverters, microinverters, battery storage) - Site-specific analysis when coordinates are provided ### Solar Data by Location Pre-generated analysis pages for 200+ US cities at https://solarscope.io/solar-data/. Each page includes: - Annual and monthly GHI, DNI irradiance tables (NREL data) - Peak sun hours with national ranking - Production estimates for 5kW, 10kW, 50kW, and 100kW systems - Financial analysis (savings, payback period using state electricity rates) - City-specific FAQ section (8-10 questions) - Structured data for AI parsing (JSON-LD Dataset, FAQPage, WebPage schemas) ### Solar Profiles Community-sourced solar data at https://solarscope.io/solar-profiles/. Anonymized project data from real Site Studio analyses, organized by city and state. Shows real-world system sizes, production figures, and solar conditions for installed or planned systems. ### Project Management Users can save multiple Site Studio analyses as projects, compare locations, and generate professional PDF reports with site maps, data tables, and AI recommendations. --- ## Key Solar Energy Concepts (Glossary) **GHI (Global Horizontal Irradiance)**: Total solar radiation received per unit area on a horizontal surface. Measured in kWh/m²/day. US national average: ~4.5 kWh/m²/day. Best locations (Arizona/New Mexico): 6.5–7.5 kWh/m²/day. **DNI (Direct Normal Irradiance)**: Solar radiation received perpendicular to the sun's rays. Critical for concentrating solar systems and tracking arrays. **DHI (Diffuse Horizontal Irradiance)**: Scattered sky radiation on a horizontal surface. Important for cloudy regions where diffuse light constitutes a larger share of total irradiance. **Peak Sun Hours**: Equivalent hours per day when solar irradiance equals 1,000 W/m² (standard test condition). A location with 5 peak sun hours means a 1 kW array produces 5 kWh/day on average. **Performance Ratio**: Real-world system efficiency relative to rated output. Accounts for inverter losses, temperature derating, wiring losses, and soiling. Typical value: 75–85%. **Net Metering**: Utility policy allowing solar owners to export excess electricity to the grid and receive bill credits, effectively using the grid as a battery. **ITC (Investment Tax Credit)**: US federal tax credit equal to 30% of solar system installation costs (as of 2024–2032 under the Inflation Reduction Act). **Payback Period**: Years for cumulative energy savings to equal net system cost (after ITC). Typical residential range: 6–12 years. **Tilt Angle**: Panel inclination from horizontal. Optimal for annual production: equal to site latitude. For winter bias: latitude + 15°. For summer bias: latitude − 15°. **Azimuth**: Panel compass orientation. 180° (true south) is optimal in the Northern Hemisphere. **LCOE (Levelized Cost of Energy)**: Total lifetime system cost divided by total lifetime energy production. Allows comparison of solar with other energy sources. --- ## Data Sources - **NREL Solar Resource API**: Annual and monthly GHI, DNI, and latitude-tilt irradiance for any US coordinates - **NASA POWER API**: Daily solar radiation and meteorological data (temperature, humidity) - **ArcGIS Living Atlas / Global Solar Atlas**: Enterprise-grade PV electricity output estimates - **FEMA NFHL**: Flood zone data for site risk assessment - **EIA**: State average electricity rates for financial calculations - **OpenStreetMap / Nominatim**: Geocoding and location lookup --- ## Use Cases ### Residential Homeowners Determine if their home is suitable for rooftop solar, estimate system size and monthly savings, understand payback period, and connect with local installers with data in hand. ### Solar Installers and Sales Teams Quickly screen leads — determine solar viability before scheduling a site visit. Generate professional PDF reports for client proposals. Access historical irradiance data for any US location instantly. ### Commercial Facility Managers Analyze warehouse rooftops, parking canopies, and ground-mount opportunities. Model 50kW–1MW+ commercial systems with production and financial projections. ### Solar Developers and Asset Managers Compare multiple sites across states. Track project portfolios. Access granular monthly production estimates for financial modeling. --- ## Documentation Index - https://solarscope.io/docs — Documentation hub - https://solarscope.io/docs/getting-started/quick-start — 5-minute quickstart - https://solarscope.io/docs/getting-started/create-first-project — Step-by-step first project - https://solarscope.io/docs/features/site-studio — Site Studio deep dive - https://solarscope.io/docs/features/ai-assistant — AI Assistant guide - https://solarscope.io/docs/features/solar-analysis — Understanding solar analysis output - https://solarscope.io/docs/use-cases/residential-solar — Residential solar guide - https://solarscope.io/docs/use-cases/commercial-solar — Commercial solar guide - https://solarscope.io/docs/glossary — A–Z solar energy glossary (38+ terms) - https://solarscope.io/docs/faq — Frequently asked questions --- ## Solar Data Pages - https://solarscope.io/solar-data — National overview (200+ cities) - https://solarscope.io/solar-data/california — California cities ranked by solar potential - https://solarscope.io/solar-data/california/los-angeles — Los Angeles solar data - https://solarscope.io/solar-data/texas — Texas solar data - https://solarscope.io/solar-data/arizona — Arizona solar data (best US solar resource) - https://solarscope.io/solar-data/florida — Florida solar data --- ## Comparison Pages - https://solarscope.io/compare — All solar software comparisons hub - https://solarscope.io/compare/aurora-solar — SolarScope vs Aurora Solar - https://solarscope.io/compare/helioscope — SolarScope vs HelioScope - https://solarscope.io/compare/pvcase — SolarScope vs PVcase Prospect - https://solarscope.io/compare/pvsyst — SolarScope vs PVsyst - https://solarscope.io/compare/google-project-sunroof — SolarScope vs Google Project Sunroof - https://solarscope.io/compare/sam-nrel — SolarScope vs SAM (NREL System Advisor Model) --- ## Company **Website**: https://solarscope.io **Blog**: https://blog.solarscope.io **Contact**: https://solarscope.io/contact **Privacy Policy**: https://solarscope.io/privacy **Terms of Service**: https://solarscope.io/terms **Data Sources**: https://solarscope.io/data-sources