How Enact accelerated the global transition to clean energy in 2023
2023 was a historic year — the world continues to ease out of the COVID-19 pandemic, technological innovations brought the advent of AI tools and climate change solutions.
Enact also had a big 2023, including significant updates to our design software and consumer solar monitoring software platforms. We also participated in over a dozen events around the world and webinars, highlighting how we accelerate the transition to clean energy in over 25 countries. Enact’s consumer services business now expanded in California to service thousands of homeowners on their transition to solar and storage, working directly with the Enact team.
Enact Platform Data as of 2023
- Over $996 million (USD) of Projects Proposed in the U.S.
- Over $12.8 billion (USD) of Projects Proposed Globally
- Over 110 MW of systems monitored (as of Dec 31, 23)
The next generation of solar software solutions
New and improved design software for installers
Enact announced a major upgrade to its solar design software in November, aimed at enhancing the productivity of solar installers. The 2024 version provides rapid design and implementation features, such as automatic height and pitch detection, transforming the planning and execution of solar and energy storage projects.
Enact for Installers provides an all-in-one cloud software platform that assists sales and installation professionals at every step of the solar and storage journey. Offering remote design through high-resolution satellite imagery, the cloud platform generates rapid proposals with detailed pricing and energy analytics, facilitating quicker sales pipeline growth and seamless project management. The update empowers installers to leverage data for more accurate project designs, incorporating features like effortless 3D modeling and shading analysis optimization.
Additionally, Enact introduced the next-generation solar design and sales platform, Enact for Installers, offering innovative features like auto-detect tools, on-screen summaries, accurate shading analysis, storage modeling, extensive data visualization, finance integration and document management with DocuSign. Enact’s global presence and Solar Design as a Service (DaaS) capabilities further support solar businesses worldwide.
The updated, next-generation Enact for Installers solar design and sales platform was launched in 2023.
Proposal Design-as-a-Service (DaaS)
Over the summer, Enact launched our proposal Design as a Service offering to solar installation professionals. Enact’s global in-house design team ensures quick turnaround times, with same-day delivery for proposals and ongoing support for edits. The new service compliments Enact’s existing installer design and sales software, aimed at empowering installers.
DaaS offers the creation of fast, accurate and customizable solar and energy storage system designs. The three-step process involves filling out a form with the project address, providing the latest utility bill and submitting the request for a solar proposal.
Part of Enact’s mission is to accelerate the transition to clean energy by improving the customer journey for purchase and ownership of solar and storage projects. DaaS supports installers by making it easier for them to present attractive proposals to customers easily
DaaS is an easy, three step process to getting fast, accurate solar and storage proposals.
Improved, independent solar monitoring software
Enact has released an updated Enact Home app, offering enhanced features for both residential and commercial solar and storage owners. Designed for use with existing or new purchases of solar panels, the app provides personalized insights to optimize the solar experience and return on investment, integrating with all major solar inverter brands.
Notable feature additions include the ability to track daily and monthly savings for systems maximizing self-consumption, ensuring greater transparency. Users can view solar generation, monthly savings and battery charging status, fostering confidence in system performance. The app alerts users and installers if the system goes offline or is inactive for over 72 hours.
Enact Home also introduces a “percentage paid off” calculation, facilitating a clear understanding of the system’s return on investment through utility savings. Monthly reports ensure solar homeowners receive the promised benefits, aligning with Enact’s commitment to simplifying solar ownership and advancing the transition to clean energy.
An updated Enact Home solar monitoring platform user interface was launched in 2023.
Expanding Solar Software access to users globally
Enact’s software platform has now expanded to users in over 25 countries around the world. Across the globe, Enact’s digital platform offers solar and energy storage solutions to installers, accelerating their growth and the global transition to clean energy. During 2023, Enact expanded its solar software offering and services offering for UAE, Germany, Japan and Australia.
The United Arab Emirates
Over the past year, Enact expanded its operations in the United Arab Emirates and MENA region. Our platform has been empowering installers with solar software since 2017. The UAE is a promising market for residential and commercial solar energy
Early this summer, Enact was proud to announce new developments and partnerships in the UAE. Enact partnered with Seed Group, under the Private Office of Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed Al Maktoum, to bring solar solutions to the UAE. In December, Enact and Sharaf DG Energy achieved significant milestones in partnership to drive clean energy deployment in the Emirates. Sharaf DG Energy — a part of the Sharaf Group — completed over 85 MW of commercial/industrial projects and over 1,100 residential projects in the UAE market, in collaboration with the Enact platform. The company utilized Enact’s platform to facilitate the switch to solar energy for residential customers and SMBs.
Solar projects deployed by Sharaf DG Energy generate approximately 140,000 MWh of clean energy annually, offsetting around 100,000 metric tons of CO2. The collaboration underscores the growth of the solar market in the UAE and the positive impact on clean energy acceleration in the region.
Germany
Enact has introduced its platform in Germany to aid solar installers in reducing time spent on back-office tasks and system design. In response to the skilled labor shortage in the German solar sector, Enact’s platform streamlines efficiency and focuses on core competencies. The software enables solar professionals to design residential or commercial solar and storage proposals rapidly, offering detailed layout design, 3D shading analysis, system sizing and savings analysis based on local electricity rates. Beyond proposals, the platform streamlines project contracts, documents and timelines. Solar companies can customize proposals in German and opt for Enact’s design service for same-day turnaround, allowing efficient scaling of sales pipelines.
Japan
Enact has introduced its platform in Japan, to support Solar installers on proposals and design-as-a-service projects in Japanese language. Enact now offers fast, accurate and customizable solar and energy storage system designs in Japan. The three-step process involves filling out a form with the project address, providing the latest utility bill and submitting the request for a solar proposal, for both residential and commercial projects.
Australia
Enact has launched its software platform in Australia, aiming to streamline solar and storage business operations. Recognizing Australia’s position as a global solar leader, Enact aims to contribute to the nation’s sustainable energy future. The company also introduced Solar Design as a Service (DaaS) for Australian installers, providing fast, accurate solar proposals to meet growing demand for renewable energy projects.
Enabling solar solutions around the world
2023 was a busy year for Enact — not only has our team innovated our platform, but we’ve attended over 15 events across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, the UAE, Germany, India and Australia.
COP28
The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP28, was held in Dubai. This conference aimed to address climate change and develop policies to limit global temperature rises. Enact was proud to attend the event and participate in the region’s transition to clean energy sources.
The importance for Enact lies in the global commitment to move away from carbon energy sources and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. This commitment aligns with Enact’s focus on solar energy adoption and sustainability. The conference’s emphasis on renewable energy, including the pledge to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030, signifies a significant step forward for the solar energy industry.
For Enact, the COP28 outcomes underscore the growing global momentum toward renewable energy solutions, presenting both opportunities and challenges for the solar energy sector. It was an honor to participate in the historic event.
The Enact team participated in COP28 in Dubai, UAE.
Big 5 Global
Enact proudly exhibited at the Big 5 Global event in Dubai this year, showcasing the Enact software platform’s capabilities in accelerating residential and commercial solar and energy storage installations in the UAE. As a leading player in the solar energy software sector, Enact attended the event to demonstrate how our platform aligns with the global shift towards sustainable energy solutions.
Big 5 Global, recognized as the largest and most influential construction industry event, provided a unique platform for Enact to connect with key stakeholders, including real estate developers, architects, contractors, and industry professionals from around the world. The event’s commitment to uniting the global construction community and fostering sustainable innovation resonates with Enact’s mission.
Our participation in the Big 5 Global event underscores Enact’s dedication to driving progress in sustainable development. By leveraging the Enact software platform, attendees witnessed how we contribute to economic growth and the advancement of renewable energy solutions. As the industry navigates a new era, Enact remains at the forefront, empowering construction professionals to excel in their projects and embrace a more sustainable future.
The Enact team exhibiting at the Big 5 Global Show in Dubai, UAE.
RE+
RE+ is one the the largest clean energy events, not only in North America but around the world. Taking place from September 12-14 in Las Vegas, Enact showcased the recently launched DaaS offering and the upgraded Enact Home consumer solar monitoring app.
Enact also attended RE+ Mid-Atlantic in Philadelphia and RE+ Midwest in Chicago, showcasing our two-sided platform and making valuable connections in American markets outside California.
InterSolar North America 2023
InterSolar North America is another major solar and energy storage event, taking place in Long Beach, California last January. At InterSolar North America, Enact exhibited our two-sided platform for installers, consumers and for solar monitoring. In Long Beach, the Enact team showcased product updates, emphasizing powerful solar-plus-storage design capabilities and features such as tracking system outages and managing referrals in their consumer app. Enact also participated in InterSolar’s European event in Munich, Germany.
WETEX
Enact exhibited at WETEX 2023 and Dubai Solar Show in Dubai, highlighting our commitment to clean energy in the UAE. WETEX is a major global sustainability gathering — focused on energy, water, green development and sustainability. The participation aligns with Dubai’s Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy.
“Solar Simplified” for Consumers in California
Enact’s direct-to-consumer sales and marketing team worked with thousands of homeowners in California on their solar purchase and ownership journey and hundreds of them have now completed their solar purchase and installation, designed by Enact’s team and installed by Enact’s preferred installation partners. Homeowners like Julie and Hooman had an excellent experience working with Enact, on managing their clean energy transition. As Enact gains traction on this unique new business model, several leading partners like retailers and home-builders have started partnering with Enact to leverage Enact’s platform and Services team to support similar efforts.
Managing California’s NEM 3.0 Transition
California is one of the largest solar markets in the U.S. which saw changes under NEM 3.0. The new policy, implemented in April, saw a 75% reduction in solar export rates, impacting compensation for excess solar energy sent to the grid.
Pacific Gas and Electric – 8 kW solar plus storage scenarios (~104% energy offset).
Homes and businesses with qualifying solar systems installed before the April deadline were grandfathered in under NEM 2.0 Subsequently, demand for home solar systems soared in early 2023.
The Enact platform facilitated the modeling of NEM 3.0 rates and enabled users to compare the effects of NEM 3.0 versus NEM 2.0 — particularly focusing on the benefits of solar plus storage configurations.
Using a residential example with varying solar/storage sizes, Enact illustrates the impact on average payback across major California utilities. Notably, solar-plus-storage systems saw shortened payback periods compared to solar-only systems under the new policy.
New insights on California’s solar market
The Enact marketing team released a research report titled “Understanding residential solar consumers in California” to our Industry Updates blog in September. The research report on California’s residential solar market, conducted through a survey of 482 homeowners with installed solar systems, reveals crucial insights for solar installers.
The study identifies key findings, highlighting that higher-cost solar systems (above $25,000) are more likely to require maintenance, emphasizing the importance of system quality for long-term customer satisfaction. The findings also underscore that higher-income participants express increased interest in solar monitoring apps, demonstrating the potential for technological solutions to cater to diverse customer segments.
The research delves into consumer motivations, payment methods, satisfaction levels and preferences for various regions and income brackets. For solar installers, this data serves as a valuable guide, offering insights into market trends, customer preferences and potential pain points in the sales process.
Understanding the impact of cost, income, region and system age on homeowner behavior and motivations is crucial for tailoring sales strategies, enhancing customer experiences and addressing specific needs in different market segments. Overall, the research equips solar professionals with essential information to navigate and succeed in the dynamic California residential solar market.
