Solar & Solar Software Glossary
Clear, working definitions for the solar industry. Hardware, software, finance, regulation, and the roles that make installations happen.
- Finance & Business
Power Purchase Agreement
A long-term contract in which a solar asset owner sells the electricity generated by a PV system to an offtaker at a fixed or indexed per-kWh price, letting the offtaker use solar power without buying the hardware outright.
PPASolar PPAOff-site PPA - Solar Software
PV Design Software
Engineering software used to model a photovoltaic system before installation, covering irradiance simulation, panel and inverter selection, stringing and electrical layout, shading losses, and annual energy yield, typically for commercial and utility-scale projects.
Photovoltaic design softwarePV system design toolSolar PV modeling software
- Solar Software
Shading Analysis
The engineering process of calculating how obstructions such as trees, chimneys, HVAC units, and neighboring buildings cast shade on a PV array through the year, then quantifying the resulting loss in energy yield so the array can be laid out to minimize it.
Shade analysisSolar shading studyShading loss analysis - Solar Software
Solar CRM
A customer relationship management system purpose-built for solar companies, tracking leads, site surveys, proposals, contracts, and installations through the stages unique to a solar sale rather than a generic B2B pipeline.
CRM for solar installersSolar sales CRM - Solar Software
Solar Design Software
Tools that let solar engineers and installers model a photovoltaic system digitally before construction, covering roof capture, panel layout, tilt and azimuth, shading analysis, electrical stringing, and production simulation.
PV design softwareSolar system design toolSolar layout software - Operations & Services
Solar Feasibility Study
A structured assessment that answers whether a specific site can host a solar installation that is technically sound, economically viable, and regulatory compliant, combining resource analysis, shading, grid access, financial modeling, and permitting review into a decision-ready report.
Solar feasibility analysisPV feasibility reportSolar viability assessment - Finance & Business
Solar Financing
The set of capital structures a customer can use to pay for a solar installation, spanning cash purchase, secured and unsecured solar loans, operating leases, power purchase agreements, and on-bill or PACE financing, each with different ownership, tax, and monthly payment implications.
Solar loanPV financingSolar system financing - Finance & Business
Solar Investment Tax Credit
A US federal tax credit that lets owners of a new solar installation deduct a percentage of the system's cost from their federal income tax liability, currently 30 percent of total installed cost for residential and commercial systems under the Inflation Reduction Act framework.
Solar ITCFederal solar tax creditSection 48 ITC - Sales & Marketing
Solar Lead Generation
The process of identifying and attracting homeowners or businesses that are likely to buy a solar installation, then qualifying those prospects into a structured sales pipeline through channels like paid search, inbound SEO, marketplaces, and partner referrals.
Solar lead genPV lead generationSolar customer acquisition - Finance & Business
Solar Lease
A financing arrangement in which a third-party owner installs a solar system on a customer's property and charges a fixed monthly payment for the use of the equipment, regardless of how much electricity the system produces, with the owner capturing all tax credits and depreciation benefits.
Residential solar leaseSolar panel leaseThird-party-owned solar - Solar Software
Solar Monitoring
The practice and platform of tracking a photovoltaic system's real-time production, inverter status, and performance against forecast, so that owners and operators can detect faults early, validate yield guarantees, and maintain optimal output over a 25-year asset life.
PV monitoringSolar performance monitoringSolar plant supervision - Operations & Services
Solar Operations and Maintenance
The ongoing work of keeping an installed solar system producing at its design yield for its 25 plus year life, covering monitoring, inverter replacement, module cleaning, vegetation control, electrical inspection, warranty management, and performance reporting.
Solar O&MSolar O and MPV O&M - Sales & Marketing
Solar Proposal
A customer-facing document that presents a proposed solar installation, covering system size and layout, production estimates, equipment list, pricing, financing options, incentives, savings projection, and terms, used as the primary sales artifact in a solar buying decision.
Solar quotePV proposalResidential solar proposal - Solar Software
Solar Proposal Software
A specialized sales tool that lets solar installers turn a qualified lead into a customer-ready proposal, combining 3D roof design, production simulation, equipment pricing, financing scenarios, and branded PDF output in a single workflow.
Solar quote softwarePV proposal toolSolar sales proposal platform - Solar Software
Solar Sales Software
An integrated sales workspace that gives solar reps everything needed to move a lead from first contact to signed contract, usually combining CRM, proposal design, financing scenarios, e-signature, and real-time commission or payout tracking.
Solar sales platformSolar rep softwareSolar closer app - Operations & Services
Solar Site Survey
A physical inspection of a solar project site, usually conducted after a customer commits but before final design, covering roof condition and structure, electrical service, shading, obstructions, and safe access, so the as-built system can be installed without redesigns or change orders.
PV site surveySolar site assessmentSite visit - Solar Physics & Hardware
String Inverter
A solar inverter that converts DC electricity from a series-wired group of panels (a string) into AC electricity, typically sited at the edge of the array, delivering the lowest cost per watt for unshaded rooftop and ground-mount installations.
Central string inverterSolar string inverterPV string inverter
