Helioscope Modeling and Design Services

Helioscope is the industry-standard bankable production simulation platform for commercial and utility-scale solar. But building accurate Helioscope models takes time and expertise most solar companies can't spare in-house. RIH Engineering has delivered more than 3,000 Helioscope designs for a single US client without a missed deadline. Our engineers produce Helioscope models, shading simulations, string designs, and complete project files as an outsourced Helioscope design service for US solar EPCs, installers, and developers.

What you get

• Complete Helioscope project files, ready for handoff or client-facing export
• Bankable 8760-hour production simulations with detailed loss breakdowns
• Shading analysis using LiDAR-based or object-based shading models
• String sizing and inverter matching per module and inverter specs
• Module layout optimization for maximum production density on the available site
• PDF exports suitable for sales proposals, permit submissions, or client review
• Version-controlled Helioscope files with clear naming for your project archive
• Turnaround typically 24 to 72 hours per design

What we handle for you

Helioscope design work is skilled but repetitive. Every project follows the same workflow: import site imagery, trace roof or ground boundary, place modules, run shading simulation, adjust for string design, iterate for production, export deliverables. A single commercial project takes an experienced Helioscope engineer 4 to 8 hours to complete properly.

We take all of it off your plate. You send us the project details, site imagery, module and inverter selection (or ask us to recommend), and any special requirements. We come back with a complete Helioscope project file plus PDF exports formatted to your standards. Your senior engineers stop touching Helioscope and focus on customer engineering conversations, PE review, and project delivery.

The cost of doing this in-house

Solar companies that keep Helioscope work in-house typically dedicate 15 to 40 percent of a senior engineer's time to Helioscope modeling. At US loaded rates of $80 to $150 per hour and 15 to 40 hours per week per engineer on Helioscope, that's $60,000 to $300,000 per year per engineer, on Helioscope work that a dedicated outsourced team can handle at a fraction of the cost.

Worse: you can't ramp Helioscope capacity fast when your pipeline grows. Hiring and training a Helioscope engineer takes 3 to 6 months. Meanwhile every day of Helioscope backlog is a project not moving forward, an installer waiting, and a customer's confidence in your team eroding.

Why RIH Engineering is safe to try

Send us one Helioscope project. We deliver the design in 24 to 72 hours. You review it against your standards. If quality doesn't meet your bar, you tell us what to adjust and we redo it. If it still doesn't work, you don't send us the next one.

Our dedicated resource model means you get named Helioscope engineers assigned to your account. They learn your templates (naming conventions, layer standards, PDF export formats) and become predictable extension of your team. We've delivered 3,000+ Helioscope designs for one US client without a missed deadline. That track record is the risk reversal.

Our process

1. You send us the project address, module and inverter selection (or request recommendation), target system size, and any specific design constraints
2. Our Helioscope engineer imports the site, traces roof or ground boundary, and identifies obstructions
3. Module layout drafted for maximum production density, respecting fire code setbacks and any specific customer requirements
4. Shading simulation run using either LiDAR or object-based shading (per your preference or the project's requirements)
5. String sizing and inverter matching verified against module and inverter specifications
6. Production model run for 8760 hours with detailed loss breakdown
7. Deliverables prepared: Helioscope project file, PDF exports, and any specific client-facing formats you require
8. Deliverables sent for your review, typically within 24 to 72 hours

Tools and standards

Our Helioscope team works in Helioscope (Folsom Labs, now part of Aurora Solar), including advanced features like LiDAR shading, custom module libraries, custom inverter models, and multi-scenario comparisons. We handle both residential and commercial project types across the Helioscope platform.

Client-preferred tools: Our team can be trained to use the tool preferred by the client. If your workflow depends on a specific platform, template, or drafting standard, we adapt to it rather than force you into ours.