Introduction

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has taken the spotlight across all industries and sectors. In its current state, AI can already recognize patterns, predict future trends, write essays, and even create images. And while its popularity has grown quickly, finding the best ways to apply the technology won’t happen all at once. This is especially true in the solar industry, as Aurora and others have made significant progress in the ways we use AI, and also see the potential for more.

According to Wood Mackenzie’s 2022 US Solar Market Insight report 1,the US solar industry is set to multiply five times over in the next decade, while at the same time the IREC 2022 Solar Job Census2 reported that 44% of solar industry employers found it “very difficult” to find qualified applicants (the highest ever recorded). Aurora and others have made significant progress in the ways we use AI to solve this problem.

With AI, solar companies can use predictive tools to identify top prospects, enable sales teams with design tools, and improve design efficiencies with automation. Aurora Solar, for example, employs automation in a few different ways within our application, augmenting solar installers’ ability to generate 3D models, design and simulate systems, and evaluate battery storage.

Aurora AI leverages proprietary machine learning algorithms to construct 3D models of homes in under 15 seconds and is used specifically to generate 3D models of roofs. Since the launch of Aurora AI in early 2022, we’ve monitored its progress and collaborated with customers constantly to collect feedback. What we found provided deeper insights on how customers currently use Aurora AI in the field and their goals for the technology in the future.

In this report we'll share what we've learned and see how AI will help solar installers become more efficient in the future.