SunPower Solar Information Review

SunPower Solar (SPWR) is a public solar manufacturing company headquartered in San Jose California with manufacturing operations being handled in the Philippines.

Features
The company designs and manufactures high-efficiency crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, roof tiles and solar panels based on a silicon all-back-contact solar cell invented at Stanford University. In recent news SunPower has announced product development on a new panel system with 23.4% efficiency! That's way above the industry average of between 12% and 20% at the highest end. Unfortunately for home owners this high efficiency panel is only available for businesses at the moment.

SunPower is known for delivering professional results at an affordable price nation-wide and they partner with local installers in nearly every US state to provide a free site evaluation so it's definitely worth checking out and their number is toll free 1-800-SUNPOWER (786-7693). Their stock price has been bouncing around a little bit recently but as one of the big players in the space we are confident in their continued success and have seen several SunPower installations go in right near downtown Mountain View, CA where the CleanTech Authority Network is based.

SunPower Solar Panels
SunPower offers not only some of the most efficient solar panels in the industry but also takes into account aesthetic considerations. SunPower is known for having some of the most aesthetically pleasing solar panels on the market that feature an "all black" look that blends nicely with most dark shingles. SunPower Signature Black panels come without the familiar grid lines which puts them in harmony with roof design. By contrast, competing solar panels have a grid of silver lacing and diamond shapes running through the panel layout.

In addition to the two looks offered by SunPower, they also offer three levels of technology ranging from lower efficiency (and more affordable) to high efficiency panels that cost more but save space, weight, and installation costs. The models are called 205, 210, and 215 with more details available at the SunPower website.

• SunPower E19 Series provides anti-reflective coating to increase sunlight absorption.
• SunPower E18 Series offers more energy than other competitors.

Monitoring
The SunPower Monitoring System is a revolutionary step taken by the company to provide more detail on use and performance to users.

• Web-based monitoring offers the opportunity to get in touch with your system no matter where you are.
• Wall-mounted LCD display provides easy access to stats and performance details.
• SunPower keeps you informed about your system through the iPhone as well via a well designed app.
• You can leave the task of monitoring to your dealer if you prefer. Your dealer or installer will get all the notifications if the system encounters a problem.

Financing
SunPower offers flexibility when it comes to financing. The financing team of SunPower brings forward diverse options to cope with the needs of its customers.

• Big companies with good business can invest heavily in the solar systems. SunPower offers accelerated depreciation and smooth processing of associated tax credit.
• Companies that are not entitled to utilize tax incentives can go for lease options. SunPower leases the solar system for 10 to 15 years and afterwards you can either renew the lease or purchase the whole system.
• Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) is offered by the SunPower for commercial use. SunPower purchases, owns, maintains and insures the solar systems. Companies have to pay monthly bill for the electricity produced by the solar systems.
• Commercial loan is also available for companies.
• Municipal financing is available for the government entities.

SunPower began offering corporate discounts in 2008 and has an ongoing solar rebate for Hewlett Packard and Google employees in the US. These employee solar rebate programs can be found here and here. For more information visit these URL's or contact SunPower directly.

User Reviews
Many users have expressed the challenge of obtaining just one SunPower panel as they are only offered through certified installers who apply them to larger jobs. In one such case a potential customer was struggling to purchase a panel for his sailboat.

I personally (the founder of the CleanTech Authority network) was able to negotiate with local installers in Mountain View California to purchase four panels at once and have see single panels in use at information fairs such as the EV rally in Palo Alto. There are no guarantees but with a bit of planning, friendly request and up front payment your shot at getting a couple SunPower solar panels for your project can be pretty good.