What is solar energy?
Solar energy is energy from sunlight. Photovoltaic panels convert light into electricity; solar thermal technologies use sunlight as heat. A solar site survey examines the conditions a particular project must work with.
Solar questions, answered with the site in mind
Solar Survey AI publishes these references for people planning, surveying and reviewing solar projects. General energy explanations link to independent sources; survey-workflow descriptions link to our own methods and services. Reviewed October 4, 2026 by Solar Survey AI.
Residential solar: start here
How do solar panels generate electricity?
Photovoltaic cells convert sunlight into electrical energy. The array and inverter are parts of the system; the roof, shade and electrical equipment are site conditions that need separate review.
Is my roof suitable for solar panels?
Roof age, available area, slope, orientation and tree cover affect suitability. A project-specific review also needs structural and electrical information. Aerial imagery is a useful starting point; hidden conditions still need verification.
Can solar panels work on a shaded roof?
Shade can reduce the sunlight reaching an array. Check the affected roof sections and seasons rather than treating the entire roof as one uniform surface. A site-specific design review decides whether a proposed layout is appropriate.
What is a residential solar site survey?
It is a documented assessment of the roof, attic or structure, electrical equipment, access and obstructions for a proposed solar installation. Solar Survey AI collects roof, structural and electrical evidence in the residential survey workflow. The survey supports later design and engineering review.
What should a solar site survey include?
Record roof dimensions and orientation, obstructions, structural members, electrical ratings, equipment locations, access and useful photographs. Requirements depend on the project. A checklist should identify missing or uncertain items rather than treating an unanswered field as a confirmed measurement.
Can a remote solar assessment replace an on-site survey?
Remote imagery can support early roof and shade screening. It does not directly inspect concealed roof framing, current panel labels, wiring or every access constraint. Use remote assessment and field verification for the questions each can actually answer.
How do I estimate solar electricity production?
Start with system size, location, orientation and an appropriate model such as PVWatts. Its results are estimates with assumptions and uncertainty. Use verified site inputs and review losses and obstructions; an estimate is not a performance guarantee.
Are electricity-use estimates the same as solar generation estimates?
No. Consumption describes electricity used by a building. Generation describes electricity produced by a system. Keep the two quantities, their time periods and their sources separate when discussing sizing or a proposal.
Does a solar survey approve a permit or utility interconnection?
No. A survey supplies evidence. The authority having jurisdiction, utility and appropriately qualified project professionals make their own decisions. Confirm the applicable requirements for the project; a location page is a reference, not an approval.
Commercial and storage projects
What does a commercial solar site survey examine?
A commercial survey adds building-specific roof and structure information, switchgear, service capacity, access and installation constraints. The capture scope differs from a residential house. Record the actual equipment and building conditions for engineering review.
Why are rooftop obstructions important for commercial solar?
Vents, equipment and other obstructions occupy space and can affect shade and access. Locate them relative to measured roof areas instead of relying on an old aerial image alone. Final spacing and safety requirements remain part of design review.
What site data does a solar-plus-storage project need?
In addition to the solar survey, document proposed battery locations, equipment context, electrical connections, access and routing. Project professionals must review manufacturer, code and utility requirements before a final design is accepted.
Utility-scale sites
What does a utility-scale solar site assessment include?
Ground-mounted projects need site-specific terrain, access, drainage, boundaries and project constraints. Solar Survey AI offers utility-scale land-surveying and inspection services; scope should be agreed for the particular site rather than inferred from a residential checklist.
Is a drone map the same as a boundary survey?
No. A drone image or reconstructed model is not automatically a legal boundary determination. The land-survey scope and any required licensed professional involvement must be established separately.
Shading, AI and survey evidence
What is solar shading analysis?
It evaluates how obstructions affect sunlight reaching a surface over time. Solar Survey AI presents section-level shade results where available, alongside survey evidence. The analysis depends on the geometry and inputs actually captured; missing obstructions cannot be modeled reliably.
What are solar access, TOF and TSRF?
Solar access describes the effect of shading on available solar resource. Tilt and orientation factor (TOF) describes the orientation effect relative to the reference used by the analysis. Total solar resource fraction (TSRF) combines those effects. Review the report definitions, time basis and reference conditions when comparing results.
What is the difference between a shadow simulator and a shade report?
A simulator illustrates changing sun and shadow positions. A shade report provides calculated metrics for a stated model and weather basis. A visually convincing animation alone does not establish validated annual energy production or measured-site accuracy.
How can AI help a solar site survey?
AI-assisted tools can help organize evidence, reconstruct available geometry and support review. Their outputs still depend on input quality and permissions. Separate captured observations from inferred values and inspect failure or uncertainty notices before using an output downstream.
How accurate is a 3D solar roof model?
Accuracy depends on capture quality, scale control, source data and validation for the particular model. Solar Survey AI treats textured site context separately from measured roof geometry. GPS-based scale and missing coverage should not be presented as independently surveyed accuracy.
Can I export a solar survey to PDF or DXF?
Solar Survey AI supports delivered-survey sharing and measured-model PDF/DXF workflows with role and delivery restrictions. Available output depends on the job assets. Confirm units and source geometry before using the export in engineering software.
Where does Solar Survey AI work?
Solar Survey AI markets survey and related services across the United States. Its location directory covers Census-listed places across the contiguous 48 states and Washington, DC. A directory listing does not itself establish local licensure, AHJ acceptance or appointment availability.
Who is Solar Survey AI designed for?
Solar installers, operations teams, designers and EPCs use its survey and evidence workflows. Residential work comes first in these references, followed by commercial and utility-scale workflows. Access to private project data remains company-scoped.
What should I ask a solar survey provider?
Ask what gets captured, what is measured versus inferred, how missing data is handled, which outputs are delivered and who can access them. Request a project-appropriate scope and a realistic handoff process rather than relying on a general accuracy slogan.
About this reference
These are general explanations, not a site-specific design, legal opinion or investment recommendation. Incentives, tariffs, permitting and equipment requirements change and must be checked with the responsible source for the project.
How we capture and evaluate survey evidence · Solar Survey AI company facts