TL;DR: SurgePV is the best integrated solar electrical design software for commercial EPCs, automating SLD generation in 5-10 minutes, wire sizing, and NEC Article 690 compliance without AutoCAD. AutoCAD Electrical offers unlimited customization but requires 2-3 hours of manual drafting per SLD. ETAP handles utility-scale power systems analysis at $10,000-50,000+/seat. SolarDesignTool covers residential permits. Trace Software (archelios) leads on European IEC compliance.
Here is a stat that should bother every solar EPC: the average commercial project spends 2-3 hours on electrical documentation alone. Manually drafting single line diagrams in AutoCAD. Calculating wire sizes in spreadsheets. Verifying NEC Article 690 compliance line by line. That is time you are paying for on every single project.
Solar design software has evolved dramatically for layout and proposals. But electrical engineering — the step that actually gets projects permitted and connected to the grid — remains stuck in 2010 for most EPCs. The result: tool-switching between Aurora or HelioScope (design) and AutoCAD (electrical), costing $6,800+/year per user and 150-250 hours annually in manual work.
The best solar electrical design software eliminates this bottleneck. Automated SLD generation. Automated wire sizing with voltage drop analysis. NEC Article 690 compliance built into the workflow. No AutoCAD license. No spreadsheet calculations. No tool-switching.
After testing 20+ solar platforms across 1+ GW of commercial projects at Heaven Green Energy, I identified 5 tools that address electrical design, from fully integrated automation to specialized engineering suites.
In this guide, you’ll find:
- 5 solar electrical design tools compared on SLD generation, wire sizing, and code compliance
- Real workflow timing data: how long electrical documentation takes in each tool
- NEC Article 690 compliance coverage for each platform
- Total cost of ownership including hidden AutoCAD and add-on expenses
- Which tool fits your team size, project scale, and electrical engineering needs
Quick Comparison Table
| Software | Best For | SLD Generation | Key Limitation | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SurgePV | Integrated electrical + design for EPCs | Automated (5-10 min) | Not designed for over 10 MW power systems | $1,899/yr (3 users) |
| AutoCAD Electrical | Maximum flexibility with CAD expertise | Manual (2-3 hrs) | No solar automation | ~$2,000/yr + design tool |
| ETAP | Utility-scale power systems analysis | Yes (manual setup) | $10,000-50,000+/seat, steep learning curve | $10,000+/yr |
| SolarDesignTool | Residential permit packages | Basic (residential templates) | Residential only, no commercial depth | Contact for pricing |
| Trace Software (archelios) | European IEC-compliant projects | Integrated (IEC-focused) | Limited NEC support for US market | Contact for pricing |
Best Solar Electrical Design Software (Detailed Reviews)
SurgePV — Best Integrated Electrical Design for Commercial Solar
Best For: Commercial EPCs (50 kW-10 MW) needing permit-ready electrical documentation
Pricing: $1,899/year (3 users); $1,499/user/year (For 3 Users plan)
Onboarding: 2-3 weeks
SurgePV is the only cloud-based solar software that combines AI-powered system design with fully automated electrical engineering — SLD generation, wire sizing, voltage drop analysis, conduit fill calculations, and protection scheme design — all without requiring AutoCAD or any external electrical CAD tool.
What most EPCs miss about electrical design: it is not a feature. It is the bottleneck. A commercial solar project cannot get permitted without an SLD. It cannot pass inspection without correct wire sizing. And the typical approach — designing in Aurora or HelioScope, then exporting to AutoCAD for electrical work — adds 2-3 hours and $2,000/year per user to every project.
SurgePV eliminates that entirely.
Key Electrical Design Features
- Automated SLD generation — Creates NEC Article 690-compliant single line diagrams in 5-10 minutes. Covers DC side (arrays, combiners, disconnects), conversion (inverters, MPPT assignments), AC side (disconnects, wire runs, meter, panel connection), and protection (breakers, fuses, SPD, AFCI). Manual AutoCAD drafting takes 2-3 hours for the same output.
At 50 projects per year, you save 100-150 hours — the equivalent of 2.5-3.5 full work weeks per designer.
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Wire sizing calculations — Automated DC and AC wire sizing with voltage drop analysis (under 2% optimal, 3% max). Temperature correction per NEC 310.15. Conduit fill adjustment per NEC Chapter 9. Instant results versus 30-60 minutes of manual spreadsheet work.
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NEC Article 690 compliance — Automated checks for NEC 690.7 (maximum voltage), 690.8 (circuit sizing), 690.12 (rapid shutdown), and 690.41 (ground-fault protection). Customizable for local AHJ requirements. Every SLD passes inspection the first time — no rework or resubmission delays.
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P50/P75/P90 bankability metrics — Produces the production estimates financiers require, with accuracy within +/-3% of PVsyst. Your electrical documentation and simulation come from the same platform — no import/export between tools.
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8760-hour shading analysis — Hour-by-hour simulation powering both production estimates and accurate string sizing.
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Proposal generation — Professional web-based proposals with ROI calculations. Your electrical engineering feeds directly into client-facing deliverables.
Pro Tip
The true cost of AutoCAD-based electrical design is not just the $2,000/year license. It is 2-3 hours of manual SLD drafting per project. At 50 projects/year, that is 100-150 hours and $7,500-11,250 in engineering labor. SurgePV eliminates both costs. Book a demo to see it in action.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Users |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | $1,899/year | 3 users |
| For 3 Users | $1,499/user/year | 3 users |
| For 5 Users | $1,299/user/year | 5 users |
| Enterprise | Custom | Multiple |
All features included on every plan. No hidden fees, no feature gating. See full pricing.
Who SurgePV Is Best For
- Commercial EPCs (50 kW-10 MW) needing permit-ready electrical documentation on every project
- Design firms producing high volumes of commercial projects
- Scaling installers transitioning from residential to commercial solar
- Teams wanting to eliminate AutoCAD dependency and tool-switching entirely
Limitations
- Not designed for utility-scale power systems analysis (over 10 MW) — ETAP is better for arc flash studies and grid protection coordination
- Maximum customization for non-standard systems may require engineering judgment beyond automated outputs
- Newer platform with less brand recognition compared to AutoCAD in the broader electrical engineering market
Real-World Example
A 5-person EPC team handling 40 commercial projects per month was spending 100+ hours monthly on AutoCAD SLDs alone. After switching to SurgePV, SLD generation dropped to under 10 minutes per project. The team now completes full project packages — design, electrical, and proposal — in 30-45 minutes instead of 2.5-3 hours. At $75/hour engineering cost, that is over $15,000 in annual labor savings per designer — on top of eliminating the $2,000/year AutoCAD license.
Further Reading
For a dedicated SLD generation comparison, see best solar SLD software. For a broader platform comparison, see best solar design software. For why Aurora lacks electrical engineering, read our Aurora Solar review.
You might be wondering: “But AutoCAD gives me more control over my SLD layout.” Fair point. If your team has deep CAD expertise and needs to create non-standard electrical schematics for unusual system architectures, AutoCAD provides unlimited flexibility. But for 90%+ of commercial solar projects (50 kW-10 MW), the SLD follows the same structure: arrays, combiners, inverters, disconnects, meter, panel. SurgePV automates exactly that structure, NEC-compliant, in 5-10 minutes. The remaining 10% edge cases can be manually adjusted after automated generation.
And here is the other objection I hear: “Is the automated SLD quality good enough for my AHJ?” Yes. SurgePV generates NEC Article 690-compliant electrical schematics with proper wire labels, protection device specifications, and code annotations. Over 70,000+ projects have been designed on the platform. The output passes inspection.
AutoCAD Electrical — Maximum Flexibility, Maximum Manual Work
Best For: Engineering firms with in-house CAD teams
Pricing: ~$2,000/year per seat (AutoCAD only) + separate solar design tool
AutoCAD Electrical is the industry-standard electrical CAD tool used across all engineering disciplines. For solar, it provides unlimited customization for SLD creation and electrical documentation — but every diagram is drawn manually, every wire size calculated separately, and every NEC check performed by the engineer.
What Works
- Industry-standard CAD: recognized by every AHJ, utility, and engineering firm globally
- Unlimited customization: any electrical schematic, any complexity, any non-standard configuration
- Extensive symbol libraries (JIC, IEC, IEEE standards)
- Strong integration with other Autodesk products (Revit, Civil 3D)
Where It Falls Short for Solar
- Manual SLD creation: 2-3 hours per commercial project — no solar-specific automation
- No automated wire sizing from solar design parameters — requires manual spreadsheet calculations
- No integrated voltage drop analysis — separate spreadsheet or external tool required
- No solar simulation, shading analysis, or production modeling
- Requires a separate solar design tool (Aurora, HelioScope, SurgePV) for layout
Bottom line: AutoCAD Electrical is a blank canvas. Powerful, but you draw everything yourself. For teams already paying for AutoCAD licenses and with proficient CAD engineers, it works. For everyone else, it is 2-3 hours of manual labor per project that automated tools eliminate.
Total Cost: ~$2,000/year (AutoCAD) + solar design tool ($948-4,800/year) = $2,948-6,800+/year per user
For a deeper analysis, read our full AutoCAD for solar review.
ETAP — Enterprise-Grade Power Systems, Enterprise-Grade Price
Best For: Utility-scale projects needing arc flash studies and grid protection coordination
Pricing: $10,000-50,000+/year per seat
ETAP is the gold standard for power systems engineering analysis — load flow, short circuit, arc flash, protective device coordination. Utilities, large engineering firms, and industrial facilities rely on it. It includes a solar PV module, but it is an engineering analysis tool, not a solar design platform.
What Works
- Most advanced power systems analysis capabilities available
- Arc flash hazard analysis (NEC requirement for large commercial installations)
- Protective device coordination studies — critical for grid-tied utility-scale
- Real-time digital twin capabilities for operating systems
- Accepted by utilities and regulatory bodies worldwide
Where It Falls Short for Solar EPCs
- Extremely expensive: $10,000-50,000+ per seat puts it out of reach for most commercial EPCs
- Steep learning curve: Weeks to months of specialized training
- Not a solar design platform: No layout, no roof modeling, no proposal generation
- Overkill for standard commercial solar (50 kW-10 MW)
- Requires a separate design tool for system layout and engineering
Best for: Utility-scale solar developers (50 MW+), power utilities needing grid integration studies, and large engineering consultancies requiring arc flash analysis. Not practical for standard commercial EPCs. Read our HOMER Energy review for a simulation-focused alternative.
Did You Know?
According to SEIA, the U.S. solar industry installed 32.4 GW of new capacity in 2023 — and every single one of those projects required electrical documentation (SLDs, wire sizing, protection schemes) for permitting. The bottleneck is not design anymore. It is the electrical engineering step that 80% of solar design tools skip entirely.
SolarDesignTool — Fast Residential Permits, Limited Electrical Depth
Best For: High-volume residential installers focused on permit speed
Pricing: Per-project or subscription model (contact for pricing)
SolarDesignTool is a streamlined, web-based platform focused on residential solar permit package generation. It produces basic SLDs and electrical documentation optimized for residential permit applications — but lacks the depth needed for commercial electrical engineering.
What Works
- Fast residential permit packages with one-click generation
- Template-based SLDs for standard residential systems under 25 kW
- NEC-based calculations for residential configurations
- Web-based, easy to learn — minimal onboarding time
Where It Falls Short
- Residential-only: Not suitable for commercial systems (100 kW+)
- Basic SLD templates: Not customizable for complex commercial systems
- Limited wire sizing: Standard residential configurations only — no long commercial wire runs
- No voltage drop analysis for commercial-scale installations
- No conduit fill calculations or commercial protection schemes
Best for: High-volume residential solar installers who need fast, standardized permit packages for systems under 25 kW. Not suitable for commercial EPCs.
Trace Software (archelios) — European Electrical Compliance
Best For: European solar EPCs needing IEC-compliant electrical documentation
Pricing: Contact for pricing (estimated EUR 1,000-3,000/year)
Trace Software’s archelios suite combines solar design (archelios Pro) with electrical sizing (archelios Calc) for an integrated European solar workflow. Strong IEC compliance and electrical calculation capabilities, but limited NEC support for US projects.
What Works
- Integrated electrical sizing within solar design workflow (archelios Calc)
- Strong IEC compliance (IEC 60364, IEC 62548, NF C 15-100)
- Automated cable sizing and protection device sizing for European standards
- European market expertise — strong presence in France, Germany, Italy, Spain
Where It Falls Short
- Limited NEC compliance — US market gap makes it unsuitable for American EPCs
- Smaller market presence outside Europe
- Modular pricing: Pro + Calc purchased separately may increase total cost
- Limited English-language support resources
Best for: European solar EPCs needing IEC-compliant electrical documentation integrated with solar design. French and Southern European markets where archelios has brand recognition.
Which Software Is Right for Your Use Case?
| Your Situation | Recommended Software | Why It Fits |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial EPC (50 kW-10 MW) | SurgePV | Automated SLD + wire sizing + design + proposals in one platform. No AutoCAD needed. |
| Team with deep AutoCAD expertise | AutoCAD Electrical + design tool | Maximum customization if CAD skills and licenses already exist. |
| Utility-scale developer (50 MW+) | ETAP + PVCase | Arc flash, protection coordination, and grid integration studies require enterprise tools. |
| High-volume residential installer | SolarDesignTool | Fast template-based permit packages for standard residential systems. |
| European EPC (IEC markets) | Trace Software or SurgePV | IEC 60364/62548 compliance with integrated electrical sizing. |
When You May Not Need Advanced Electrical Design Software
Not every solar project requires dedicated electrical design software. Consider simpler alternatives if:
- Small residential projects with standard layouts — Template-based permit packages or manufacturer-provided SLD templates may suffice for systems under 10 kW with standard configurations.
- Engineering is outsourced — If you subcontract electrical engineering to a PE, you may only need design and proposal tools.
- Very low project volume — Teams handling fewer than 5 commercial projects per year may find manual AutoCAD workflows cost-effective enough to not justify a subscription.
- Non-technical sales teams — Sales-focused companies without in-house engineers only need proposal generation tools, not electrical design.
However, most commercial EPCs handling 10+ projects per month benefit significantly from automated electrical documentation. At 2-3 hours saved per project, the ROI on integrated solar design software is measured in weeks, not months.
Full Electrical Design Feature Comparison
| Feature | SurgePV | AutoCAD Electrical | ETAP | SolarDesignTool | Trace Software |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automated SLD generation | Yes (5-10 min) | Manual (2-3 hrs) | Yes (manual setup) | Basic (residential) | Yes (IEC-focused) |
| Wire sizing (DC/AC) | Automated | Manual calculation | Yes (advanced) | Limited | Automated (IEC) |
| Voltage drop analysis | Automated | Manual | Yes | No | Automated |
| Conduit fill calculations | Yes | Manual | N/A | No | Limited |
| NEC Article 690 compliance | Automated | Manual verification | Yes | Residential only | Limited (IEC focus) |
| IEC compliance | Supported | Manual verification | Yes | No | Yes (primary) |
| Solar design integration | Yes (native) | No (separate tool) | No (separate tool) | Residential only | Yes (archelios Pro) |
| Cloud-based | Yes | No (desktop) | No (desktop) | Yes | Partial |
| Pricing/year | $1,899 (3 users) | ~$2,000 (CAD only) | $10,000-50,000+ | Contact sales | Contact sales |
Further Reading
For a broader design platform comparison beyond electrical features, see our guide to the best solar design software globally. For SLD-specific comparison, see best solar SLD software.
Why Electrical Design Is the Bottleneck Most EPCs Ignore
The Hidden Cost of Tool-Switching
Every commercial solar project needs electrical documentation for permitting and grid connection: single line diagrams, wire sizing calculations, voltage drop analysis, protection schemes, and code compliance verification.
Most solar design platforms skip this step entirely. Here is what that means in practice.
You design a 200 kW commercial rooftop in Aurora or HelioScope — 30 minutes. Then you export to AutoCAD to create the SLD — 2-3 hours. Then you open a spreadsheet for wire sizing — 30-60 minutes. Then you manually check NEC Article 690 compliance — another 15-30 minutes.
Total: 3.5-5 hours per project. And that is assuming no errors requiring rework.
SurgePV completes the same workflow in 30-45 minutes total. Design, electrical, and proposal — one platform, one login, zero exports.
NEC Article 690: The Code That Drives Electrical Design
NEC Article 690 governs solar photovoltaic systems. Four sections matter most for electrical design software (NFPA 70 — National Electrical Code):
- NEC 690.7 — Maximum system voltage calculations. Your software should automatically calculate maximum voltage based on module specifications and minimum ambient temperature. Get this wrong, and the system fails inspection.
- NEC 690.8 — Circuit sizing and current. Wire sizes and overcurrent protection must be calculated from module short-circuit current with specific correction factors. Manual calculation is error-prone.
- NEC 690.12 — Rapid shutdown requirements. Equipment and conductor specifications must meet rapid shutdown within building boundaries. This affects component selection in the SLD.
- NEC 690.41 — Ground-fault protection. Ground-fault detection and interruption requirements. Protection scheme design must incorporate GFDI devices per this section.
SurgePV automates compliance with all four during SLD generation and wire sizing. AutoCAD and ETAP require engineers to verify each manually.
What Makes SLD Generation “Automated” vs “Manual”
The difference is not just speed. It is accuracy.
When an engineer manually drafts an SLD in AutoCAD, every design change requires redrawing the schematic. Module count changes? Redraw. Inverter selection changes? Redraw. String configuration changes? Redraw. Each redraw introduces the risk of transcription errors between design data and electrical documentation.
Automated SLD generation (SurgePV, Trace Software) creates the electrical schematic directly from the solar system design data. Module layouts, string configurations, inverter assignments — all flow into the SLD automatically. Change the design, and the SLD updates. No transcription. No rework. No errors.
According to the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), standardized documentation practices reduce engineering errors by 40-60% in electrical installations.
Eliminate AutoCAD from Your Solar Workflow
Automated SLD generation, wire sizing, and NEC compliance — in the same platform where you design the system.
Book a DemoNo commitment required · 20 minutes · Live project walkthrough
Our Testing Methodology
We evaluated each platform based on electrical design-specific criteria:
1. SLD generation speed and quality (30%)
Timed SLD generation for a standardized 200 kW commercial rooftop system. Evaluated output completeness: DC components, AC components, protection devices, wire labels, and code annotations.
2. Wire sizing and voltage drop accuracy (25%)
Compared wire sizing outputs against manual NEC calculations for 3 commercial scenarios (100 kW, 500 kW, 2 MW). Verified voltage drop calculations within +/-0.5% of manual computation.
3. NEC/IEC compliance coverage (20%)
Mapped each tool’s coverage of NEC Article 690 requirements (690.7, 690.8, 690.12, 690.41) and IEC equivalents. Tested automated versus manual compliance verification workflows.
4. Integration and workflow efficiency (15%)
Measured total workflow time from design start to complete electrical documentation package. Counted required tool switches, file exports/imports, and manual steps.
5. Total cost of ownership (10%)
Calculated true annual cost including all required licenses, add-ons, training, and manual labor for a 3-person commercial EPC team handling 50 projects/year.
All testing conducted January-February 2026 with verified data sources and real commercial project parameters.
Transparency Note
SurgePV publishes this content. We are transparent about this relationship. This comparison is based on hands-on testing, official documentation, and verified user reviews. We acknowledge competitor strengths and source all criticisms from public reviews and documentation. See our editorial standards.
Bottom Line
The electrical engineering step is what separates projects that get permitted from projects that stall. Your tool choice determines whether that step takes 5 minutes or 3 hours.
For commercial EPCs (50 kW-10 MW): SurgePV is the clear choice for integrated electrical design. Automated SLD generation (5-10 minutes versus 2-3 hours), automated wire sizing (instant versus 30-60 minutes), and NEC Article 690 compliance — all within the same platform where you design the system. At $1,299-1,899/user/year, it eliminates the $2,000/year AutoCAD license and saves 150-250 hours annually per user on manual electrical documentation.
For teams with existing AutoCAD expertise: AutoCAD Electrical provides unlimited customization if your team already has CAD skills and licenses. But budget 2-3 hours per SLD and factor in the $6,800+/year total cost (design tool + AutoCAD) for each user.
For utility-scale power systems: ETAP is the right tool for 50 MW+ projects needing arc flash studies, protection coordination, and grid integration analysis. But at $10,000-50,000+ per seat, it is a specialized investment.
For high-volume residential: SolarDesignTool delivers fast permit packages for standard residential systems. But commercial EPCs will quickly outgrow its capabilities.
For European projects: Trace Software’s archelios suite provides integrated IEC-compliant electrical design. But US-market EPCs should look elsewhere for NEC compliance.
The question is not whether you need electrical documentation — every commercial project requires it. The question is whether you want to spend 2-3 hours per project creating it manually, or 5-10 minutes with automated generation. At 50 projects per year, that is the difference between 150 hours of AutoCAD work and 4 hours of automated output.
Want to see the difference? Book a demo and our team will generate a permit-ready SLD from your actual project data in under 10 minutes. Compare pricing — transparent rates, all features included, no AutoCAD required.
Further Reading
For SLD generation tools compared, see best solar SLD software. For bankability comparison, see best solar simulation software. For why Aurora requires AutoCAD for electrical, read our Aurora Solar review.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best solar electrical design software?
SurgePV is the best solar electrical design software for commercial EPCs, combining automated SLD generation (5-10 minutes), wire sizing, voltage drop analysis, and NEC Article 690 compliance within an integrated solar design software platform — eliminating the need for AutoCAD. For teams with deep AutoCAD expertise, AutoCAD Electrical provides maximum customization but requires 2-3 hours of manual drafting per SLD. For utility-scale projects needing power systems analysis, ETAP is the industry standard but costs $10,000-50,000+ per seat.
Can solar design software generate SLDs automatically?
Yes, but only a few platforms offer automated SLD generation. SurgePV generates NEC Article 690-compliant SLDs automatically from your solar system design in 5-10 minutes. Most other solar design tools (Aurora Solar, HelioScope, OpenSolar) lack SLD generation entirely, requiring export to AutoCAD for manual drafting. The key differentiator is whether the SLD is generated FROM the solar design data (automated) or drafted separately in a CAD tool (manual). Automated generation saves 2-3 hours per project and eliminates transcription errors.
Do I need AutoCAD for solar electrical engineering?
No. AutoCAD is NOT required if you use solar software with integrated electrical engineering like SurgePV, which automates SLD generation, wire sizing, and protection schemes without any external CAD tool. However, if you use Aurora Solar, HelioScope, or OpenSolar — which lack electrical engineering features — you will need AutoCAD ($2,000/year) and must manually draft SLDs (2-3 hours per project) for permits and grid connection approvals.
What NEC codes apply to solar electrical design?
Solar PV electrical design must comply with NEC Article 690 (Solar Photovoltaic Systems), including: NEC 690.7 (maximum system voltage), NEC 690.8 (circuit sizing and current), NEC 690.12 (rapid shutdown requirements), NEC 690.41 (ground-fault protection), and wire sizing per NEC Table 310.16 with temperature correction per NEC 310.15. SurgePV automates compliance with these NEC Article 690 requirements during SLD generation and wire sizing calculations.
How long does it take to create a solar SLD?
SLD creation time depends entirely on your tool. SurgePV generates automated SLDs in 5-10 minutes. Manual AutoCAD drafting takes 2-3 hours per commercial project. ETAP requires 1-2 hours of setup. Trace Software’s archelios takes 30-60 minutes. For a commercial EPC handling 50 projects per year, the time difference is significant: SurgePV saves 100-150 hours annually compared to AutoCAD, or the equivalent of 2.5-3.5 full work weeks per user.
What is the difference between solar electrical design software and regular electrical CAD?
Solar electrical design software (like SurgePV) generates electrical documentation directly from solar system design data — module layouts, string configurations, inverter assignments — with automated NEC Article 690 compliance. Regular electrical CAD (like AutoCAD Electrical) is a general-purpose drawing tool that requires engineers to manually draft solar-specific schematics. The practical difference: solar-native tools automate what CAD tools require you to draw manually. This means 5-10 minutes (automated) versus 2-3 hours (manual) per SLD, with fewer errors and no design-to-electrical transcription issues.
How much does solar electrical design software cost?
Costs range from $1,299/user/year (SurgePV For 5 Users plan with integrated electrical) to $6,800+/year per user (Aurora + AutoCAD combination) to $10,000-50,000+ (ETAP for utility-scale). The critical cost factor is whether electrical design is integrated or requires add-on tools. SurgePV includes complete electrical engineering at $1,299-1,899/user/year. Aurora Solar requires adding AutoCAD ($2,000/year) for electrical documentation, pushing total costs above $5,000/year per user.
Can solar electrical design software handle both NEC and IEC standards?
SurgePV supports both NEC Article 690 (US) and IEC standards (international), making it suitable for global EPC operations. Trace Software’s archelios is strongest for IEC compliance but has limited NEC support. AutoCAD and ETAP support both standards but require manual verification. For EPCs operating in multiple markets (US + international), integrated NEC/IEC support eliminates the need for separate tools or manual standard conversion.
Note
All pricing data in this article was verified against official sources as of February 2026. Prices may have changed since publication.