Who Makes Sunrun Solar Panels

Tesla: Trusted Solar Contractors

Brand Overview

If you have been considering installing solar panels for a long time, you have probably thought about Tesla. The companys main mission is to inspire people to transition into using sustainable solar energy. Tesla has quickly become a leader in the solar industry for its innovative products such as solar panels, inverters, power walls, and others. Moreover, Tesla is known for quality equipment, which is made using the latest technology.

Features

Tesla Solar Equipment

Teslas solar panels have a minimalist design and a modern aesthetic without any visible grid. The solar panels are made to withstand extreme weather conditions from -40°F to +185°F. Their frame is made from black anodized aluminum, and they are 425W. Aside from the highest-quality solar panels, Tesla also offers battery backup equipment.

Their Powerwall solar battery is designed to store the excess solar energy that your solar panel generates, which you can later use during outages and at nighttime. Additionally, this well-known company offers solar roofs in which solar tiles work as mini solar panels that absorb sunlight to produce electricity.

Tesla Solar Installation Process

As a reliable company, Tesla handles the installation process from the very beginning to the end. To start, the company analyzes your roof using advanced aerial technology to measure the area and designs the system according to your home structure and your solar energy needs.

Tesla Cost and Warranty

Pros

Tesla Faces A Challenger In The Home Solar Business

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By Ivan Penn

LOS ANGELES Just four years after its founding in 2006, SolarCity had emerged as the nations leading rooftop solar power company. The companys founders, with the help of their billionaire cousin, Elon Musk, set out to be the vanguard of an age in which consumers weaned themselves from dependence on utilities for their electricity.

After piling on debt in pursuit of fast growth, the business was absorbed into Mr. Musks Tesla empire two years ago. And now rivals are chipping away at its primacy in installation and innovation.

In the short term, the biggest competition is coming from Sunrun, an installer of residential solar panels and energy storage that is capturing a growing amount of what had been SolarCitys signature market.

It is all but guaranteed that Sunrun will emerge as the top residential solar installer in the U.S., said Allison Mond, a senior analyst at Wood Mackenzie, which provides consulting on various issues including energy and renewables. Teslas residential solar business is in rapid decline as the company has cut many sales channels.

Wood Mackenzie, which tracks and supplies solar data for the Solar Energy Industries Association, says Tesla accounts for 9.3 percent of residential solar installations nationwide this year, followed by Sunrun at 9.0 percent, in a fragmented industry. In 2015, SolarCity had one-third of the market while Sunrun had 5 percent.

Ms. Jurich said, Manufacturing, thats not our core competency.

Is Sunrun The Best Choice

As with any major choice, it’s best to follow the expert advice to shop around. Get multiple quotes for systems and financing , including quotes from local, non-national installers.

Third-party ownership generally saves you less money over the long haul than buying panels outright, which is usually the best option if you can afford the up-front cost or secure a favorable loan.

Leases can offer some savings over paying your utility and if buying solar is financially out of reach for you, a lease might be a fine option. This, again, depends on your local energy prices, the terms or the lease, including escalators and your energy usage. In this case, a lease from Sunrun might be your best choice, though you should still compare it with other lease options. Third-party ownership isn’t allowed in every state.

If you’re looking to purchase, you’ll likely get quality equipment from Sunrun. LG’s solar equipment excels in some key categories and offers a strong warranty. Likewise, Sunrun’s workmanship warranty matches Tesla’s at 10 years.

It’s important to note that, while I researched this as deeply as was practical, I haven’t been through this process as a buyer and I haven’t tested Sunrun’s offerings in any empirical way. Solar services are difficult to review in the traditional sense, so be sure to get multiple estimates from different installers before you make a purchase decision.

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How To Use A Calculator To Calculate How Many Solar Panels You Need

Our solar calculator can estimate the number of panels needed for your home. The tool works by taking your average monthly energy usage in kilowatt hours .

• Calculators that use kilowatt hours are more accurate because they consider your exact energy needs
• Those that ask for home area must assume the electricity consumption

Each electric company has a different power bill format, but they all display your electricity consumption for the billing period. The exact description will vary, but you should look for a term such as kWh used or kWh consumed.

Solar calculators also ask for your home location to determine how much sunshine is available. Based on those two values, they can estimate the system size in kilowatts. Some solar calculators assume a wattage for panels, while others ask you directly. Based on the total kilowatts and the rated watts per panel, the calculator can determine how many are needed.

It is important to understand the difference between kWh savings and dollar savings. kWh savings refer to the amount of energy that your panels produce. On the other hand, dollar savings are obtained when the solar electricity production is multiplied by the kWh price.

Sunrun Purchase Plans Summarized

Sunrunâs financing products are a little confusing because of the names they give them, but basically it comes down to a lease vs purchase. Hereâs a brief cheatsheet:

• Full purchase: you buy the system outright and keep all the incentives. Be sure to compare quotes from other installers.
• Monthly loan: you buy the system outright with a loan provided by Sunrun, and keep all the incentives. Be sure to compare quotes from other installers PLUS quotes from other loan providers.
• Monthly lease: this is a monthly solar lease. Sunrun keeps the incentives. If you canât get decent loan terms, this might be your last, best option.
• Prepaid lease: Yeah, donât do this. If you have enough cash on hand to prepay the lease, you should buy the system instead, and get a small loan if necessary to cover any balance. A prepaid solar lease is a bad idea.

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Popular Solar Panels With String Inverters

If you prefer using a string inverter with your solar system, then look no further than the SMA Sunny Boy String Inverter. This premium inverter comes with distinctive features that guarantee a dominant performance.

One of the key features is the SMA ShadeFix optimization that provides maximum reliability and guarantees superior energy production.

Unlike other string inverters, the SMA Sunny Boy is rapid shutdown compliant for enhanced safety. It is also AFCI compliant and it allows for automatic resetting whenever needed.

What Do I Get From Tesla Solar Panels

Tesla offers four sizes of solar panel installations measured in kilowatts: 4.25, 8.5, 12.75 and 17kW. Tesla allows you to package your solar panel purchase with a Powerwall, its well-regarded battery system that can store power for use during surge pricing, outages or after the sun sets.

As you might expect, Tesla boasts about its panels’ sleek, low-profile design. To my eye, Tesla’s installations are indeed less obtrusive than others. If that’s important to you, Tesla might have an advantage here.

Unless you’re really particular about who manufactures your panels, what’s really important is how long they’ll last and how well they’ll work. Tesla’s warranty says your panels are guaranteed to work at 80% capacity for 25 years or it will replace them. That’s roughly in line with other companies, though the specific details of the warranty aren’t available online and Tesla, which dissolved its press office last year, did not respond to requests for comment.

Tesla’s first foray into solar power was not with panels, but with storage. Its Powerwall battery is still one of the top choices in the industry, to the point that other major solar companies offer the Powerwall with their installations.

Tesla’s warranty says your panels are guaranteed to work at 80% capacity for 25 years or it will replace them.

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Solar Leases In A Nutshell

Leasing a home solar system is a lot like leasing a car. You get to use the solar panels, but you donât own them. Instead, you pay a monthly leasing fee to the solar company.

With a lease, the solar company installs the equipment on your home, just the same as if you bought the system outright, but the company retains ownership. Your home get to use the solar electricity generated, and draws any extra power it needs from the grid, for which you pay the utility company. Whether or not net metering is available depends on the state and your utility. Sunrun, or any other leasing company, has no control over that.

This is an important point worth emphasizing: with a solar lease, you still get a utility bill for any grid electricity you use, plus a second monthly bill for the leasing fee from the solar company .

Depending on the leasing company and your credit rating, this type of agreement often requires no money down, which is why itâs sometimes referred to as âfreeâ solar panels.

In the long run, you wonât save as much money with a lease versus buying the solar system outright, but your net utility bill should go down. Be very careful, however: itâs actually possible to pay more for electricity with leased solar panels than if you had never installed solar panels.

This is because most solar lease companies include an escalator clause in the contract that automatically increases the payments every year.

What Do Sunruns Monthly Lease Full Lease Purchase And Monthly Loan Options Really Mean Heres A Guide That Decodes These In Simple Terms

With about 573,000 total customers, Sunrun is the largest solar installer in the United States. This means that if youâve been shopping around for a solar installer, thereâs a very good chance that youâve come across Sunrun.

If youre learning about Sunrun for the first time or maybe considering using them to install your solar panels, be sure to read our Sunrun review first, which gives a comprehensive breakdown of the company and their products.

When you go to sunrun.com, youâll be offered a list of their 4 different solar payment plans. Sunrun previously used the confusing Bright label for their lease, loan, and purchase products: Brightsave Monthly and Brightsave Prepaid for their loans or PPAs, Brightadvantage for their loan, and Brightbuy for their purchase option.

If you think thats confusing, youre not the only one. Sunrun recently simplified their branding to make these financing options more clear:

Keep reading to learn about each of these payment options and which one might be best for you.

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Can I Add Solar Panels Myself

Can you install solar panels yourself? The short answer is ‘yes’, but there are some serious drawbacks to going it alone. Installing solar panels isn’t exactly as simple as mounting a light fixture or swapping out your water filtration system. … Solar panel installation is definitely one of those situations.

Sunpro Solar: Affordable Solar Company For Home Solar Panels

Brand Overview

Sunpro Solar is another excellent solar system provider that is available in more than 22 states across the U.S. This Louisiana-based company offers high-quality solar system and battery storage solutions for optimal solar energy independence for their customers.

Moreover, Sunpro Solar offers 100% repair and maintenance for the system, which is vital for all buyers. The company has installed thousands of solar systems in a variety of homes, and it is continuing to expand into other states as well.

Features

Sunpro Solar Equipment

Sunpro Solar supplies solar systems by only the best brands in the industry. They also want to make their equipment affordable and accessible for everyone. As a result, they offer the following:

• Enphase Solar Inverters: These inverters carry a high warranty, and they are tested for their lifespan. Such inverters are also known to provide more renewable energy than many other technologies.
• LG Solar Panels: These are known for their quality and high efficiency. They also come with a high warranty and are compatible with almost any solar configuration.
• Tesla Powerwall: This is a solar power industry leader when it comes to solar battery technology. Sunpro Solar provides the Tesla Powerwall 2, which can detect any grid outages and bring back power much faster than the solar generators.

Sunpro Solar Installation

Sunpro Solar Cost and Warranty

Pros

• 25-year warranty for labor, solar panels, and inverters
• Daily solar monitoring

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How Many Solar Panels Do You Need For 1000 Kwh Per Month

A family with several siblings can easily reach a monthly consumption of 1,000 kWh. In places with expensive electricity, this results in monthly electric bills of over $200. However, solar power is an effective solution to reduce energy expenses.

As explained above, the number of panels needed to reach 1,000 kWh per month changes depending on local sunshine and panel wattage. To simplify calculations, solar radiation is specified in peak sun-hours per day. Weather scientists calculate this value by measuring the total sunshine in a location and converting it to equivalent hours of peak sunshine.

• Peak sun hours should not be confused with daylight hours
• Since sunlight is moderate in the early morning and late afternoon, these hours do not count as complete peak sun hours
• You may find a site that gets 12 hours of average daylight, and 6 peak sun hours per day

There are many online databases that provide peak sun hours based on site coordinates, including the Atmospheric Science Data Center from NASA. Once you know the peak sun hours, estimating the number of solar panels needed for 1,000 kWh is simple.

• The first step is calculating the kilowatts needed. You must simply divide the average daily kWh by the peak sun hours
• Assuming a 30-day month, an electricity generation of 1,000 kWh is equivalent to 33.33 kWh per day
• If the site gets 6 peak sun hours per day, you need 5.56 kilowatts

Can Micro Inverters Be Used Off Grid

Yes. You can use micro inverters with your solar panels off grid. Nevertheless, for the micro inverter to work off-grid, you must install a battery backup system to store the energy produced by your solar system.

The battery backup system should be able to capture and store some of the excess energy produced by your solar panel or from the electric grid for later use.

Being off grid means disconnecting completely from the main power source. This is only possible if you have dozens of solar panels installed in your home along with a high-capacity battery backup system.

In case of a power outage, the micro inverter should be able to automatically switch to off-grid mode and convert power from the local load or the battery backup system into usable electricity.

The only issue is that you can only use your micro inverter and battery backup system off grid for a short while on non-sunny days, at night, or during power outages. This is because most battery backup systems do not have the capacity to store a lot of energy that can last for long.

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Where Do The Top Solar Companies Manufacture Panels

Below, EnergySage has compiled a list of the leading solar panel companies active in the US market based on the most recently available data in 2018. The table is broken down by each companys market share, headquarters location, manufacturing facility locations and overall quality ranking.

The key takeaways from the table below are that: 1)no single country dominates the market , and 2)there is little to no correlation between country of manufacture and the companys quality ranking.

Exhibit: List of solar panel makers in the US by residential market share and country of manufacture*

Q2 How To Know If Your House Is Suitable For A Solar Energy System

This is a common question asked by people who are considering getting a solar energy system. What you can do is contact the solar company and provide the necessary information to get a quote or talk with a representative that can examine your space and provide you with details and a custom plan.

Luckily, the solar companies on our list are using technology to estimate the conditions and come up with a suitable solution. You can also look for online tools designed to determine the amount of sunlight you get per year and how much space you have for a solar energy system. The ideal conditions for a solar system are a large roof with no obstructions, a 30-degree pitch, and one that is in good condition.

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The Top 10 List Of Solar Panel Manufacturers

A big part of calculating solar panel quality is understanding the metrics and factors that determine it such as module efficiency and performance. Check out this solar panel analysis to better understand significant characteristics that will impact your solar systems panel performance. Also notable is the fact that not every company that made this list has a significant share of the US residential solar power market.

Included in the table below are the solar panel manufacturers with the largest global market share in 2020, based on sales in 2019. This is the most recent data available.

Top solar panel manufacturers