AI solar design lets you draft a complete PV layout from natural language in seconds. The category went from gimmick to daily driver in 2026, and the leader is Clara AI, the AI solar design assistant inside SurgePV, included on every paid plan. This guide compares Clara AI with Aurora AI Mode and other AI design tools.
Clara AI drafts a real solar design from plain English
A SurgePV engineer designs one of your real projects in 20 minutes using Clara AI's natural-language interface.
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What AI Solar Design Ships in 2026
Three production-grade capabilities:
- AI 3D roof modeling from satellite. Geometry in under 60 seconds at ~3% LIDAR accuracy.
- Natural-language design. Draft a layout from a text brief in seconds.
- Shading optimisation. AI evaluates placement options across the year’s shading.
Clara AI inside SurgePV ships all three on every paid plan.
Clara AI vs Aurora AI Mode
| Capability | Clara AI (SurgePV) | Aurora AI Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Natural-language design brief | Yes | Limited |
| AI 3D from satellite | Included | AI Mode add-on |
| Shading optimisation | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-MPPT string sizing automatic | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-country code coverage | NEC, IEC, AS/NZS, IS | US primary |
| Multi-language proposal output | 9 languages | English primary |
| Included free in plan | Yes | No (paid add-on) |
| Pricing | Included in $1,299 to $1,899 / user / yr | +$30 to $50 / user / mo on top of Aurora base |
For most teams in 2026, Clara AI is the AI solar design tool that wins on capability, flat pricing, and integration.
What Clara AI Does Inside SurgePV
- Parse natural-language briefs into working layouts
- Pull modules and inverters from the 70,000-module and 12,000-inverter databases
- Apply MPPT-bounded string sizing
- Run 8,760-hour shading and pick the optimised placement
- Apply code-aware setbacks (NEC, IEC, AS/NZS, IS)
- Draft proposal copy
- All in seconds, on every paid plan
Worked Example: Natural-Language Design in 5 Minutes
A typical 9.6 kW US residential project, Clara AI workflow:
| Step | Action | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Type address, AI 3D roof model returns | 58 seconds |
| 2 | Clara brief: “9.6 kW, dual MPPT, avoid chimney, prioritise south” | 9 seconds typing |
| 3 | Clara drafts layout (18 × 533 Wp modules, 2 strings) | 14 seconds |
| 4 | Designer review and small edit | 90 seconds |
| 5 | 8,760-hour shading and bankable yield (P50 14,820 kWh/yr) | 28 seconds |
| 6 | Branded proposal generated | 11 seconds |
| Total | Brief to proposal | 4 minutes 10 seconds |
The same project takes 25 to 45 minutes in non-AI workflows.
Workflow Steps
- Type the address. AI 3D model in 60 seconds.
- Tell Clara: “Lay out a 9.6 kW system, dual MPPT, avoid the chimney, prioritise south face.”
- Clara drafts the layout in 15 seconds.
- Review and edit.
- Run 8,760-hour shading and the bankable yield report.
- Generate the branded solar proposal.
Total time: under 5 minutes residential. For teams that also need lead capture and follow-up once the proposal goes out, pairing SurgePV with QuickEstimate’s WhatsApp follow-up automation closes the loop from design to signed contract.
AI Solar Design Across Other Tools
| Tool | Natural-language | AI 3D from satellite | Shading optimisation | Free in plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clara AI (SurgePV) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Aurora AI Mode | Limited | Yes | Yes | No, paid |
| Arka360 AI | Limited | Limited | Limited | Varies |
| OpenSolar AI | No | Limited | Limited | Free + add-ons |
AI solar design included, not an add-on
SurgePV ships Clara AI's natural-language design on every paid plan at $1,299 to $1,899 per user per year.
Compare PlansAnnual billing · Cancel anytime · Includes Clara AI
Who Should Choose Each Tool
- Choose Clara AI (SurgePV) for natural-language solar design plus the full stack at one flat price.
- Choose Aurora AI Mode only if already committed to Aurora’s upper tier.
- Choose Arka360 AI if India-residential is your entire scope.
Ready to design solar in plain English?
SurgePV combines Clara AI, AI 3D roof modeling, 8,760-hour shading, bankable yield, and white-label proposals in one platform.
Book a Free DemoFrequently Asked Questions
What is AI solar design?
How does Clara AI work in SurgePV?
Is AI solar design accurate enough for production?
How does Clara AI compare to Aurora AI Mode?
Will AI solar design replace solar designers?
Does AI solar design work for commercial projects?
What does AI solar design cost?
Nirav Dhanani CEO, Qbits Energy
Co-founder & CEO driving Qbits Energy's product strategy and growth across India.