Using AI to Evaluate Solar Panel Proposals: A Practical Guide to Making Informed Decisions

How to Leverage AI to Decode Complex Solar Contracts, Compare Proposals, and Identify Hidden Terms

When evaluating solar panel options, you'll likely face a stack of competing proposals from services like Energy Sage, each filled with technical specifications, varying financial terms, and complex projections that make meaningful comparison challenging. In a real-world example, I recently used AI to evaluate multiple Energy Sage proposals, while also helping my father review a contract he had signed with a door-to-door salesman.

This process requires understanding:

• Which proposal offers the best financial return

• How the estimates align with your actual energy usage

• Whether the contract terms are favorable or contain hidden pitfalls

• If the projected savings are realistic based on your specific situation

This is where an AI assistant can become an invaluable tool—helping to transform complex analysis into clear, actionable insights.

The AI Solution: A Step-by-Step Implementation

Here's a straightforward AI workflow that anyone considering solar panels can implement. This approach is based on real applications I've used when evaluating solar options:

Step 1: Gather your documents and data

First, collect all the documents you need to analyze:

• Solar panel proposals (like those from Energy Sage)

• Your current energy bills showing usage patterns

• Any contracts you're considering signing

• Historic electricity rate information for your area

Implementation Tip: Even smartphone photos of physical documents work well. The key is making sure text is readable.

Step 2: Share your usage and expense reports

Share your current energy details so it can evaluate each proposal against your existing energy patterns. You don’t have to be detailed here. I simply gave it a screenshot of invoice payments and the usage chart below. I then asked simple questions about each screenshot.

Step 3: Give it the proposals, one at a time

Just like before, I kept my prompt simple. AIs are surprisingly good at understanding analysis patterns.

I'm evaluating solar panel proposals for my home. Can you help me figure out what the actual cost and savings are with this proposal?

By keeping your analysis focused on a single item, you help ensure the AI doesn't get overwhelmed or mix details from different proposals.

Step 4: Compare proposals side-by-side

After analyzing individual documents, you can then ask the AI to create a standardized comparison:

Can you create a table comparing these proposals please?

The AI will generate a clear, structured table that made differences immediately apparent. It may even provide its own thoughts on the analysis.

Step 5: Complete separate contract analysis

If you decide to go down the solar route, you’ll eventually need to sign on the dotted line for this. My father entertained the idea from a door-to-door salesman recently so I had the opportunity to do contract analysis too. Contracts are complex, so handle them individually just like individual proposals. Even though the contracts are complex, you can still make your prompt as simple as:

What can you tell me about this contract? Is there any extreme red flags with it?

In my father's case this specific question (with some personal information redacted) revealed critical information about his contract:

• It was a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) rather than a loan (he doesn’t own the equipment)

• The term was 25 years and automatically renewed if not cancelled

• Payments automatically increased 2.9% annually

• And more concerns (in the screenshot below)

The Results: Better information for informed decisions

In my experience, this AI-powered approach offers several concrete benefits:

1. Deeper Understanding: Quickly comprehend complex technical and financial information in solar proposals

2. Personalized Analysis: Compare projections against your specific energy usage patterns

3. Contract Insight: In my father's case, we identified that his contract was a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) rather than a loan, with an automatic 25-year renewal clause and other terms that weren't immediately obvious

4. Better Conversations: Armed with AI analysis, you can ask more informed questions when speaking with solar providers

In my father's specific case, the AI analysis helped identify the nature of his agreement and highlighted important contract terms that warranted closer attention before proceeding.

Limitations and human oversight required

This AI approach has important limitations to recognize:

• Verification Needed: Always cross-check key financial calculations against your own math

• Local Expertise Gaps: AI may miss region-specific incentives or regulations

• Document Quality Matters: Poorly scanned documents or images can lead to misinterpretations

• Contractor Reputation: The AI can't assess the reliability or service quality of installers

• Technical Specifications: You'll still need human expertise to evaluate equipment quality and installation specifications

I still consulted with a solar specialist to confirm the AI's analysis and discuss installation details that weren't covered in the proposals.

Next Steps: Try this approach today

If you're considering solar panels, take these immediate actions:

1. Gather your most recent 12 months of energy bills

2. Start a chat with an AI assistant for proposal analysis:

   • Upload your energy bills for consumption analysis

   • Analyze each proposal individually within this chat

   • Create a comparison table of all proposals

   • Compare against your actual usage patterns

3. Create a separate, dedicated chat for each contract review:

   • Upload only one contract per chat session

   • Ask for detailed analysis of terms and conditions

   • Request explanations of unfamiliar terminology

   • Follow up on specific sections that need clarification

This two-phase approach—keeping proposal comparisons separate from contract analysis—ensures you receive the most accurate and detailed information for each critical aspect of your solar decision.

By leveraging AI as your personal solar analyst, you can make a more informed decision about one of the most significant home investments you'll make—potentially saving thousands over the system's lifetime.

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Note: This article describes a practical approach to using AI for solar proposal evaluation, incorporating real-world applications. Results will vary based on your location, energy usage patterns, available solar options, and the specific AI tools you use.