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Facts about Solar Technology from SunPower

 

SunPower Cells - Highest Efficiency Solar Technology With Maxeon Panels

  • SunPower makes the highest efficiency solar panels you can buy for your roof.
    • Source: Highest of over 3,200 silicon solar panels, Photon Module Survey, Feb 2014.
  • SunPower holds the world record for the highest efficiency silicon solar panel.
    • Source: Green, M. A., et al., “Solar Cell Efficiency Tables (version 43)," Progress in Photovoltaic, 2014.
  • SunPower® X-Series panels deliver 38% more power.
    • Source: SunPower 345W panel vs. Conventional Panel (250W, 15.3% efficient, approx. 1.6 m2)
  • SunPower® E-Series panels deliver 31% more power.
    • Source: SunPower 327W panel vs. Conventional Panel (250W, 15.3% efficient, approx. 1.6 m2)Graph showing efficiency of SunPower solar panels compared to conventional, and thin film solar panels

 

Graph showing that SunPower solar panels have high efficiency energy production per watt

Highest Solar Panel Energy Production, Year 1

  • SunPower X-Series panels deliver 8-10% more energy per watt in the first year.
    • Source: BEW/DNV Engineering  “SunPower Yield Report,” Jan 2013, with CFV Solar Test Lab Report #12063, Jan 2013 temp. coef. calculation. Compared to a Conventional Panel (250W, 15.3% efficient, approx. 1.6 m2)
  • SunPower E-Series panels deliver 7-9% more energy per watt in the first year.
    • Source: BEW/DNV Engineering  “SunPower Yield Report,” Jan 2013.  Compared to a Conventional Panel (250W, 15.3% efficient, approx. 1.6 m2)
  • SunPower panels maintain their energy production much better than Conventional Panels in partly-shaded conditions.
    • Source: PVEvolution Labs “SunPower Shading Study,” Feb 2013.  Compared to a Conventional Panel (240W, 15% efficient, approx. 1.6 m2)
  • SunPower X-Series panels have 5x less power drop from a single leaf shading a panel.
    • Source: PVEvolution Labs “SunPower Shading Study,” Feb 2013.  Compared to a Conventional Panel (240W, 15% efficient, approx. 1.6 m2)
  • SunPower E-Series panels have 3x less power drop from a single leaf shading a panel.
    • Source: PVEvolution Labs “SunPower Shading Study,” Feb 2013.  Compared to a Conventional Panel (240W, 15% efficient, approx. 1.6 m2)

 

SunPower X-Series solar panels 25-Year Energy Production gives you 70% more energy than conventional solar panels

Highest Solar Panel Energy Production, 25 Years

SunPower X-Series solar panels

  1. SunPower X-Series solar panels produce 21% more energy per rated watt over the first 25 years
  2. SunPower X-Series solar panels produce 70% more energy from the same space over the first 25 years
  3. A SunPower X-Series solar panel produces the same total energy in its first 14 years as a Conventional solar panel running for 25 years

Source: SunPower 345W compared to a Conventional Panel (240W, 15% efficient, approx. 1.6 m2), 9% more energy per watt, 0.75%/yr slower degradation. BEW/DNV Engineering “SunPower Yield Report,” Jan 2013, with CFV Solar Test Lab Report #12063, Jan 2013 temp. coef. calculation. Campeau, Z. et al. “SunPower Module Degradation Rate,” SunPower white paper, Feb 2013.

SunPower E-Series solar panels

  1. SunPower E-Series solar panels produce 20% more energy per rated watt over the first 25 years
  2. SunPower E-Series solar panels produce 60% more energy from the same space over the first 25 years
  3. A SunPower E-Series solar panel produces the same total energy in its first 15 years as a Conventional solar panel running for 25 years

Source: SunPower 327W compared to a Conventional Panel (240W, 15% efficient, approx. 1.6 m2), 8% more energy per watt, 0.75%/yr slower degradation. BEW/DNV Eng. “SunPower Yield Report,” Jan 2013. Jordan, Dirk “SunPower Test Report,” NREL, Oct 2012. Campeau, Z. et al. “SunPower Module Degradation Rate,” SunPower white paper, Feb 2013.

 

Highest Reliability Solar Panels

  • Unmatched reliability
    • Source: #1 rank in  “PV Module Durability Initiative Public Report,” Fraunhofer ISE, Feb 2013. Five out of the top 8 largest manufacturers were tested. Campeau, Z. et al. “SunPower Warranty Review, Feb 2013.
  • SunPower’s warranty guarantees the most power.
    • Source: Compared with the top 15 manufacturers.  SunPower Warranty Review, Feb 2013.
  • SunPower panels average only 0.25% power loss per year over the first 25 years.
    • Source: Jordan, Dirk “SunPower Test Report,” NREL, Q4-2014; Campeau, Z. et al.  “SunPower Module Degradation Rate,” SunPower white paper, Feb 2013.
  • One out of every 20,000 panels has been returned under warranty.
    • Source: Hasselbrink, E., et al. “Validation of the PVLife Model Against 3 Million Module-Years of Live Site Data.” 39th IEEE PVSC, Tampa, Florida, 2013.
  • SunPower predicts its panels will have a useful life of more than 40 years.
    • Source: “SunPower Module 40 Year Useful Life” SunPower white paper.  Feb 2013.  Useful life is 99 out of 100 panels operating at more than 70% of rated power.
  • SunPower panels ranked #1 in Fraunhofer durability testing.
    • Source: Ferrara, C., et al. “Fraunhofer PV Durability Initiative for Solar Modules: Part 2”. Photovoltaics International, 77–85.  2014. Five out of the top 8 largest silicon solar panel manufacturers were tested for the 2013 report. Three additional silicon solar panels were tested for the 2014 report.
  • SunPower Utility-scale power plants with onsite O&M staff, deliver more than 99% availability.
    • Source: BEW/DNV Engineering, “Availability Evaluation Report,” Jan 2013. Requires on-site O&M staff.