Pros
Cons
Quick answer
ETAP is power system analysis software whose PV Array module models panels, inverters and collector systems and studies a solar plant inside the grid, per its site, checked October 2026. The deciding factor is price and purpose: ETAP publishes no price, and its free 30-day demo is for learning, not real project work.
Comparing ETAP with SurgePV?
ETAP studies the grid side of a solar plant. SurgePV covers roof design, yield and proposals. See which job you need first.
Book a Free DemoChecking cost first? See the SurgePV pricing page.
SurgePV publishes this page and is a vendor in this category, so it competes with ETAP. The facts here come from the vendors’ public pages, checked October 2026. Last checked: October 2026.
Short answer: ETAP is power system analysis software from Operation Technology, Inc. Its PV Array module lets engineers model solar panels and test how a solar plant affects the power grid. It suits engineers and planners who run grid studies. ETAP does not publish a price, so you ask for a quote. Its free 30-day demo is for learning only. Details checked October 2026.
What ETAP does
ETAP has a page for solar: the PV Array and solar panel page. It says the Renewable Energy module gives three ways to study solar power: design and analyze solar farms, study the effect of solar on the transmission grid, and study rooftop solar on the distribution grid. The About page says ETAP is based in Irvine, California, and has more than 40 years of history (ETAP About page).
The table shows what the vendor documents. Each row names the page.
| Area | What the vendor says | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Solar farm design | Planners can “model and size” solar panels, grid-connected inverters, solar combiners, collector systems and system grounding. | PV Array page |
| Grid impact | Planners can model a solar plant as a single machine. They can then trip the plant or add faults to see how the grid reacts. | PV Array page |
| Rooftop solar on feeders | Distribution planners can study the “generation hosting capacity” of a feeder. That is how much solar a power line can take. | PV Array page |
| Panel models | You can model “unlimited solar panels” one by one or in groups, in series or parallel. A panel library holds P-V and I-V curves (graphs of how a panel’s power and current change with voltage). | PV Array page |
| Panel library | In ETAP 20.5.0, more than 17,000 models from the California Energy Commission Solar Equipment List were added. The 2026 release page also lists “5,000+” under PV array models. | PV Array page, 2026 release |
| Sun data | A built-in calculator finds solar irradiance (sun power per area) from date, time and location. It can feed a time-series power flow for daily, monthly or yearly output. | PV Array page |
| Inverters | Dynamic inverter models, and maximum power point tracking (MPPT) controller modeling. MPPT is how an inverter finds the best working point of the panels. | PV Array page |
| Linked studies | PV Array works with load flow (how power moves through a network), short circuit, dynamics and transients, harmonic analysis, protective device coordination, grounding, cable sizing and transformer sizing. | PV Array page |
| Renewables benefits | The renewable energy page lists collector system design and grid interconnection studies. | Renewable energy page |
| DC arc flash | ETAP DC Arc Flash finds incident energy (the heat energy of an arc fault) for DC systems, including photovoltaic plants. It follows NFPA 70E 2024 Annex D.5.1 to D.5.3. | DC arc flash page |
| Caneco Electrical | A separate ETAP product. Its PV module covers AC and DC circuits, EV charging and battery projects. It is “available now for France, Spain and German compliance standards”. The page lists a 2024 Power Technology Excellence Awards win for this module. | Caneco Electrical page, awards page |
Price and plans
ETAP does not publish prices. The pricing page says “Get a quote in a few simple steps” and “Now Available on Subscription!” (ETAP pricing page).
| Item | What the vendor says | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Not published; ask the vendor. | Pricing page |
| How to get a quote | Select a product, choose a bundle or package, add optional add-ons, choose license type, duration and number of users, then submit. | Pricing page |
| License choices | For some products the form shows network type (National or International), subscription length (3 or 5 years) and users (1 to 5, up to over 50). | Pricing page |
| Free demo | Demos are “available free for 30 days”. The online demo needs a MyETAP account and a corporate email address. No activation code is needed. | Demo page |
| Demo limits | Up to 12 AC buses and 10 DC buses. Saving and opening existing projects is disabled. The vendor says demos are not for “real-world commercial or academic project work”. | Demo page |
| Demo modules | The online demo lists PV array elements, short circuit, protective device coordination, AC arc flash, DC arc flash, harmonics and transient stability. | Demo page |
Source: ETAP pages above, checked October 2026. Any price you see on other sites is not from ETAP.
Key facts above come from the ETAP pricing and demo pages, checked October 2026.
Who ETAP suits, and who should look elsewhere
It suits you if:
- You plan transmission or distribution grids and need to test the effect of solar plants.
- You model solar farms in detail: panels, inverters, combiners and collector systems.
- You need DC arc flash results for photovoltaic plants.
- You already run ETAP for other power system studies.
Look elsewhere, or ask first, if:
- You need a price before a sales call. ETAP shows none.
- You want to run real project work in the demo. The vendor says the demo is not for that.
- You need roof shading analysis or customer proposals. We searched more than 500 pages on etap.com for these. None describes roof shading analysis or solar proposals, so ask ETAP first.
- You need PV circuit design outside France, Spain and Germany. The Caneco Electrical PV module is listed for those three.
Compared with SurgePV
SurgePV sells competing software. The SurgePV column uses only SurgePV’s own product facts and its pricing page.
| Topic | ETAP | SurgePV |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Power system studies, with a PV Array module for solar plants and grid impact | 3D roof modeling, solar array layout, shading analysis, energy-yield modeling, financial modeling, electrical workflow support, bill-of-materials output and proposal generation |
| Price | Not published; quote only | USD per user per year: $1,899 (1 user), $1,499 (3 seats), $1,299 (5 seats) |
| Try it first | Free 30-day online demo, for learning only | Guided demo; no self-serve trial |
| Limits | Demo has bus and saving limits | Results depend on source data, assumptions, equipment models, configuration and review. Outputs support design work but do not replace approval by the responsible engineer, authority, lender, insurer or utility. |
The tools do different jobs, and the prices use different units. To see SurgePV on your own project, Book a Free Demo.
Designing roofs and proposals, not grid studies?
SurgePV lists 3D roof modeling, layout, shading, yield and proposal generation. Book a demo on a real project.
Book a Free DemoBottom line
ETAP fits engineers who study how a solar plant behaves inside the power grid and can work from a quote. For roof design and customer proposals, look at the electrical design software list, SurgePV pricing, or book a demo.
Other options
- Best solar software for electrical design: a list of tools for the electrical side of solar design.
- Best solar software for utility-scale design: a list of tools for large solar plants.
- Best solar design software: a list of general solar design tools.
Sources
All pages were read on 28 October 2026. Prices and limits are as the vendor shows them on those pages.
- ETAP PV Array and solar panel page
- ETAP DC arc flash page
- ETAP Caneco Electrical page
- ETAP renewable energy page
- ETAP pricing page
- ETAP demo page
- ETAP 2026 release page
- ETAP About page
- ETAP awards page
- SurgePV pricing
Frequently asked questions
What is ETAP used for in solar?
ETAP is power system analysis software. Its PV Array module lets engineers model solar panels, inverters and collector systems, and study how a solar plant affects the power grid. The ETAP page lists studies such as load flow, short circuit, harmonics and protective device coordination. Checked October 2026.
How much does ETAP cost?
ETAP does not publish a price. Its pricing page is a quote form where you choose a product, a bundle, add-ons, a license type, a duration and a number of users. Ask ETAP for a quote. Checked October 2026.
Is there a free ETAP trial?
ETAP lists a free online demo for 30 days. You sign in with a MyETAP account and a corporate email address. The vendor says the demo is for evaluation and learning, not for real commercial or university project work.
Does ETAP design solar layouts or make proposals?
ETAP says you can model and size solar panels, inverters, combiners and collector systems for a solar farm. We did not find roof shading analysis or customer proposals on the ETAP pages we read in October 2026. Ask ETAP in a demo if you need them.
Does ETAP have a lighter product for solar circuit design?
ETAP sells Caneco Electrical, which has a PV module for AC and DC circuits, EV charging and battery projects. The ETAP page says it is available for French, Spanish and German standards. It is sold on an annual subscription, and you request a price.
How does ETAP compare with SurgePV?
ETAP is built for power system studies. SurgePV covers 3D roof modeling, solar array layout, shading analysis, energy-yield modeling, financial modeling, electrical workflow support, bill-of-materials output and proposal generation. SurgePV competes with ETAP. Their prices use different units, so do not compare them directly.
About the Contributors
CEO & Co-Founder · SurgePV
Keyur Rakholiya is identified by SurgePV as its CEO and a company co-founder. His SurgePV author page lists only role information that can be tied to the public profile below; credentials, project totals, testing claims, media appearances, and speaking engagements are not asserted without retained evidence.
Editorial contributor · SurgePV
Rainer Neumann is credited as an editorial contributor on SurgePV content. This profile does not assert engineering credentials, project totals, software-testing experience, education, speaking engagements, or media citations because independent verification evidence is not retained in the publication record.
