Friday, March 22, 2024

Where Can I Buy Sunpower Solar Panels

What Other Components And Equipment I Need For A Fully Functional Solar System

Are SunPower Solar Panels Worth It? (2019)
  • Solar Inverter

The inverter has one specific purpose to safely switch the DC energy from the solar panels to AC energy, which can be used inside the home. Without a solar inverter, you wont be able to utilize the energy for your appliances or lights. Since the solar inverter is the heart of every solar system its logical that you want to invest in a quality inverter given its critical place in the equation. You can find out more about solar inverters here.

  • Solar Batteries

Batteries are an optional components. There are people who use solar power on demand, which means they only use solar energy when the sun is shining. But it also means they dont have solar power during the night. For the most part, when people install a solar array, they take the battery option as well. Provided that you probably spend most of your day at work and use most energy at night, batteries just makes sense. Naturally, you get different sizes, models, and quality options from world leading manufacturers.

  • Solar Charge Controller/MPPT

Just like the batteries, a solar charge controller is an optional component. It regulates the current used to charge the battery which comes from the inverter. However, a solar charger does become a necessity if you are using panels with high outputs. If you want to maintain the health of your battery and the overall efficiency of the solar array.

  • Solar Accessories

Should You Get Sunpower Solar Panels For Your Home

There are three types of homeowners who should get SunPower solar panels:

  • People with limited roofing space: SunPower panels have high power and efficiency ratings, so you can install fewer panels but still produce a lot of electricity.
  • People who like having high-tech products: SunPower truly does make some of the best solar panels out there, in terms of specifications and performance metrics. If you always want to have the latest and greatest, then SunPowers your brand.
  • People who are really concerned about their warranty: SunPower offers a great warranty that covers the entirety of a solar system’s lifespan, and because SunPower is a reputable brand, they should be around long enough to honor that warranty should anything happen in 5, 10, or 25 years.

If you dont fall into any of these categories, then maybe consider another brand of solar panels.

Ask About Solar Panel Financing Options

Many solar companies encourage buyers to use their solar financing packages since income from the financing is an important part of their business model. You wont always be required to do that, but just be aware that you have a choice when it comes to solar financing. Some homeowners prefer to pay cash or take advantage of the popular low-interest/zero-down loans. So find out whether this as an option offered by your solar installer.

Smaller regional solar installers are typically more flexible when it comes to financing a home solar system. While many SunPower dealers have access to SunPower Financing, their main business is installation, not financing. If youd prefer a straight home equity loan through your bank, thats fine with our dealers.

In summary, there are many solar companies to choose from. If you are looking for a customized system design with high-performing and durable solar panels, installed by a local business in your community, look no further than SunPower.

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How Do You Determine The Temperature Coefficient

Higher or lower cell temperatures will either reduce or increase the power output by a specific amount for every degree above or below 25°Cthis is called the power temperature coefficient, measured in percentage per °C. How does this work? Lets say your panels have a temperature coefficient of -0.30 and an overall efficiency of 20%. At 30°C, your panels would only operate at an efficiency of about 18.5%a power loss of about 1.5%.

Pallet Of 23 Solar Panels

Usa Sunpower Cell Etfe 120w 100w 50w Semi Flexible Solar Panel With ...

This solar panel is not in stock and has been replaced.

Sunpower and Enphase Energy have come together to offer the most qualitative and efficient product in the solar industry: the alliance of the most powerful residential solar panel with the most advanced inverter technology in the world. With the companies renowned Maxeon technology, the Sunpower Maxeon 5 AC reaches energy productions unmatched in the industry, while maintaining its saving advantages from the solar panel’s record-breaking efficiency and reliability.

Benefit also from this panels industry-leading warranty and estimated 40-year useful life.

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Know The Brand Of Solar Panels You’re Buying

Not all solar is created equal, and there can be big differences in how a solar system is designed and manufactured that not only effect efficiency and performance, but also warranty coverage. Its important to understand the basics of solar panel quality. Energy Sage, a solar company comparison site for consumers, offers advice on key factors to keep in mind when you’re shopping for solar.

Youll want to make sure your solar installer lets you choose the solar panel brand for your home. Many companies will carry several solar brands and will use whatever they have in their warehouse at the time of your installation, which means you may or may not get the best panels for your needs.

If you choose a SunPower dealer, youll not only get high-performance SunPower® solar panels, but youll also have peace-of-mind knowing your panels come with our industry leading 25-year Combined Power and Product Warranty and are backed by a company with a 30-year history.

Sunpower Will No Longer Manufacture Solar Panels

SunPower is splitting its business into two. SunPower will now focus only on the consumer and service side while the new company Maxeon Solar will continue to be a solar panel manufacturer. The split was initiated by a $298 million investment by SunPowers long-time partner and a world-leading supplier of silicon wafers, Tianjin Zhonghuan Semiconductor Co. .

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How Often Do Solar Panels Need To Be Serviced

Solar panels require little to no professional servicing, unless something is immediately wrong with your PV system. If you live in an area or climate where your panels are subject to become dirty to the point where rain wont do the trick, occasional cleaning is recommended to keep your system running optimally. Check out our article on solar panel cleaning to learn more.

What Is Pv Evolution Labs Top Performer

SunPower Maxeon Solar Panels

PV Evolution Labs with support from DNV GL independently test solar panel reliability. The tests are voluntary, with solar panel manufacturers paying to participate in the testing. This testing process is internationally renowned and is an accurate reflection of the solar panels performance.

SunPower Solar Panels are currently ranked in the PV Evolution Labs Top Performers across 5 of the 6 annual tests in the latest report.

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Best Sunpower Solar Panels You Can Buy

SunPower has walked a long road since its inception in 1985 to become synonymous with high-quality solar panels.

While the company does provide several top-tier solar products, its safe to say that its panels are what consumers are really after.

SunPower has an array of solar panels made from highly efficient solar cells produced by Maxeon.

Now, knowing a brand is excellent is one thing, but navigating your way through the mountain of product information is another.

Not to worry, though thats what were here for!

In this article, we help navigate you through the 5 best SunPower solar panels you can buy!

Foreword

Overview Of The Sunpower Solar Panel Warranty

SunPower not only offers superior efficiency, but also some of the best warranty terms in the industry. The brand gives you a 25-year warranty that covers both defective products and loss of performance over time. In case you purchase your entire PV system from SunPower, the warranty will also cover labor and other components.

  • The performance warranty from SunPower offers you 92% DC output after 25 years, which means their solar panels remain productive for a very long time.
  • For comparison, some low-end solar panels are only rated for 80% performance after 25 years of use.
  • Even if their power output warranty has the same duration, the electricity delivered over time is much less, and this also means your power bill savings are reduced.

Having a reliable warranty with a long coverage period is very important when purchasing solar panels, since it protects your investment.

Many homeowners decide to install solar panels due to the savings achieved over time, and a warranty ensures these savings will reach your pocket. On the other hand, a low-quality solar system without warranties may fail in just a few years or months before you can recover your investment.

Even if a solar manufacturer offers a warranty with excellent conditions, be aware that an unprofessional installation may void that warranty. SunPower offers you the option of purchasing the entire solar system, not only the panels, which means you can combine all component warranties.

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Better Product Better Warranty

25 year DC power decline 17%
  • *. Representative of standard efficiency solar manufacturers. Competitor warranty information provided from latest warranty documentation from various conventional panel manufacturer websites as of June 2017.
  • *. Shipping of new panel covered by some conventional warranties.
  • *. 25-year coverage for all core components on the roof: solar panels, microinverters and racking system. 10-year product warranty term for monitoring hardware.

One Of The Most Popular Brands Of Solar Panels Is Sunpower If You’re Trying To Make Sense Of Their Product Lineup Here’s The Guide For You

50W SunPower Solar Panel

Among the premium solar panel manufacturers that are popular in the US, California-based SunPower stands out. Their solar panels are at the top end of efficiency, but they also have an extensive dealer network to support a 25 year product warranty.

The strong warranty and installer certification program are some of the reasons why The Solar Nerd network includes several SunPower dealers. While this might make it seem like were biased toward SunPower, there are other excellent brands worthy of consideration, such as LG and Solaria.

To make an informed decision between SunPower and other solar panel brands, youll want to take a close look at their product lineup. Unfortunately, SunPower doesnt make it very easy for the consumer to understand the differences between their product series, which are simply named with single letters such as X-Series and E-Series.

Is X better than E, or is it the other way around? This guide will help you decipher SunPowers products, and choose the best one for your particular situation.

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Example Of A Sunpower Commercial Solar Project

An example of a large scale SunPower installation is the Sunraysia Solar Farm located near Balranald in southern NSW. This utility-scale solar panel farm will have over 750,000 of SunPowers 19% efficient Performance Series modules. The panels will cover an area of 10km² and the farm is estimated to generate approximately 255MWDC of electricity, which is enough to power more than 50,000 homes. The solar construction company Decmil has designed and is building the farm. The project is due to be completed in 2020.

Compare quotes from up to 7 pre-vetted installers in your area now.

Complete Review Of Sunpower Solar Panels: Are They Really The Best

SunPower is one of the hottest names in solar. The California-based company, founded in 1985, was originally intended to develop concentrated solar systems but has since become one of the most well-known residential solar panel manufacturers.

In 2019, SunPower announced that it would no longer manufacture solar panels. Instead, newly formed company Maxeon Solar would focus on manufacturing SunPowers high-efficiency solar panels, while SunPower continues to focus on designing and monitoring solar systems.

There is no denying that SunPowers high quality panels have awesome technical specifications and a top-notch warranty. But are they worth the premium price? The answer might surprise you.

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How Does Panel Cost Affect Total Installation Costs

Believe it or not, solar panels are only a small portion of the total installation cost. According to the NREL report linked to above, panels typically only account for 22% of the total install cost. Other equipment makes up a further 20%, installation costs account for 10%, and a whopping 36% goes to sales, marketing, overhead, and profit.

Even if your solar panels are 2x as expensive as the typical panels, your actual total installation costs will only mildly increase. Lets run through a quick example:

Lets say you installed a 5kW solar system with standard panels. At this rate, youd pay:

  • Standard Panels: $3,200
  • Other equipment: $2,880
  • Supply chain, sales tax, inspecting, and permitting: $1,787
  • Sales, marketing, overhead, profit: $5,212

All this adds up to a total installation cost of about $14,560.

Now, lets say youve decided to install Sunpower solar panels. Yay! Lets even say that theyre twice as expensive as standard brands.

Since youre not actually changing anything except the panels, all costs would stay the same except for the panels themselves:

  • Sunpower Panels: $6,400
  • Supply chain, sales tax, inspecting, and permitting: $1,787
  • Sales, marketing, overhead, profit: $5,212

With Sunpower solar panels, your total installation cost jumps to $17,760 a 22% increase in your total installation cost. Not a huge jump.

All of a sudden, Sunpower solar panels cost doesnt seem that much higher now, does it?

Buy Victron Solar Modules

Different Sizes Of SunPower Solar Panels

The Dutch Victron Energy, a leader in the on- and off-grid solar power production components has in its portfolio high quality solar panels mainly used in off-grid applications. An excellent choice for your off-grid project. The pv panels are available via our European warehouse.

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Why Is Office Location In Australia Important

Most solar panel manufacturers entering the Australian market, first setup their distribution channels and worry about customer service later. This has led to many unhappy customers who are left trying to contact Chinese head offices to claim on their 10-year product warranty.

Relying on your solar installer is not always an option as weve seen many residential solar installers go out of business well within the lifetime of the systems they are installing.

SunPower has an Australian office located in Elsternwick, Victoria.

Where Are Sunpower Solar Panels Made

SunPower has been headquartered in the Silicon Valley in California since its inception, and although they have manufacturing plants in both Hillsboro, US, and the Philippines, they are based in the United States.

Additionally, SunPower has recently decided to turn their manufacturing division into a new company altogether called Maxeon Solar, while SunPower will exclusively focus on installing the solar panels.

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Guarantee : 25 Years Modules & Microinverter

The SunpowerMaxeon 5 AC Module comes with the 25-year Sunpower Complete Confidence Panel Warranty, backed by testing and field data from more than 30 million Sunpower Maxeon panels deployed around the world. The Factory Integrated Microinverter comes with a 25-year limited product warranty covered by Enphase.

Power Product And Service Weve Got You Covered

Sunpower

While most solar warranties are full of headaches, the SunPower® Complete Confidence Warranty keeps things simple with one company covering your entire system. And with rigorous testing and unmatched reliability, its best warranty you may never need to use.*

  • *. Jordan, et. al. Robust PV Degradation Methodology and Application. PVSC 2018

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Go Solar With Sunpower

  • Going solar is easy with SunPower

    Our experts do the legwork. From determining whether your home is a good candidate for solar to matching you with a local solar installer, we are known for our customer service.

    Our SunPower-certified installation contractors are carefully selected and highly trained to help ensure your installation goes smoothly.

Want The Best Solar Panels Choose The Right Solar Installer

At SunPower friends and family often ask us: Where can I buy solar panels? But what theyre really asking is: How can I buy solar panels and get them installed on my house?

In general, consumers dont directly buy their own solar panels. Instead, homeowners work with solar installers, such as our certified SunPower dealers, who will provide the solar panels, as well as the other needed equipment, and then install the solar system.

Its similar to buying a new central air conditioner system. You might select the air conditioner brand first, and find a local company who carries that brand however, its that local installation company that will provide the right-sized unit, the ducts and the other components for you, and then safely install the system.

So, then the question becomes: How do I find the best solar installer to provide and install the right solar panels? Heres some advice on what to look for when buying home solar panels.

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Best Solar Panels Based On Your Region And Climate

After youve considered the efficiency, temperature coefficient, and warranty on any particular solar panel, its important to take the next step and think about your homes individual circumstance. Its no secret that solar panels are more often found in the Sun Belt compared to other parts of the country, but thats not to say that homeowners in the Northeast or Midwest should totally rule them out.

First, there are several factors that affect solar panel efficiencyfactors that can be impacted by your region and climate. These include irradiance, shading, panel orientation, temperature, location and latitude, time of year, and dust and dirt. For example, if you live in an area that doesnt get a lot of sunlight and your home is prone to shade and overcast clouds, youre not going to be able to produce as much clean energy for your home. When a panel is covered by shade, the power output is very loweven light shading can have a negative impact. In fact, subtle shading that covers a few cells or a single panel can reduce power output by 50% or more. This is why the orientation of your home in relation to the shade and wet weather patterns is so important.

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