Solar Cell Technology
Designed by SunPower in California, Maxeon® solar cell technology makes more energy from every drop of sunshine. Factor in our elegant styling and impressive durability, and it’s no wonder we outshine the rest.
- Solid Copper foundationadds massive strength.
- Unique light-trapping surface grabs more power.
- Ultra pure silicon deliversoptimal power conversion.
Home Solar Panels and Residential Solar Systems
Compared to a Conventional Panel, a SunPower solar panel produces 60% more energy in the same space over the first 25 years.
Compared to a Conventional Panel, a SunPower solar panel produces 60% more energy in the same space over the first 25 years.
- Anti-reflective coating produces energy and compliments
- Sleek black profile and no grid lines.
Cell Failures, Virtually Eliminated
Conventional solar cells lose power over time because of corrosion and breakage. But the unique design of SunPower solar cells eliminates 85% of the reasons conventional cells fail. So you’ll enjoy outstanding performance and savings with your commercial or home solar system for decades to come.
Three questions to ask when buying solar panels dsd
How much energy will my panels produce; how long will my system last; and who makes my solar panels?
SunPower solar panels are better by design
Find out why SunPower’s solar panels are the most durable and most efficient on the market. dsds
Frequently Asked Questions fdfdfcell
The number of panels you’ll need for your home will depend on several factors. The easiest thing to do is to look at your electricity bill to get your home’s hourly energy usage, multiply that by the peak sunlight hours for your home (3 to 4 hours on average), and divide by 300, which is an average wattage for solar panels (although they can range from 150 to 370).
Hourly energy usage x peak sunlight hours / 300 = number of panels. This typically ranges from 17-42 panels.
One simple way of answering “How many solar panels do I need” is to let a local solar installer check out your home and give you a quote for system size (including number and wattage of panels), cost, and estimated annual and lifetime savings. Let our Solar Advisors match you with the perfect SunPower installer in your area. Read more about determining number of panels on our blog.
There are several types of solar technology, but almost all home solar panels use crystalline silicon (monocrystalline or polycrystalline). The main difference is the purity of the silicon.
Monocrystalline silicon is made from a single-crystal, and polycrystalline silicon is made by melting silicon fragments together. In monocrystalline panels, there are fewer impurities, so the electrons are less likely to get blocked before leaving as electricity, thus these panels are “more efficient” or better at turning sunlight into electricity.
SunPower produces the highest efficiency monocrystalline solar panels available. Our X22 has a record-breaking efficiency of up to 22.8 percent, making it the best performing panel on the market today. Polycrystalline panel efficiency typically ranges from 15 to 17 percent.
Read more about types of solar panels on our blog.
power in less space. A high efficiency rating ensures your solar system will generate more electricity with fewer panels on your roof. Fewer panels with more power are great for smaller roofs as well as maintaining curb appeal on larger roofs. Plus, with fewer high efficient panels, you’ll have room to expand your solar system if you get an electric vehicle or add on to your home. Right now, SunPower makes solar panels with more than 22 percent efficiency, the highest efficiency available today.
Using fewer materials per watt is also great for sustaining our planet. In fact, it’s a double benefit, because less energy is required to construct the system, and more solar energy is generated at a faster rate.
Read more about solar panel efficiency on our blog.
In short, yes. Your roof isn’t a very hospitable place, so conventional solar cells lose power over time because of corrosion and breakage. To save cost, these solar panels are commonly built with less durable design and materials. Our patented Maxeon® solar cells use a metal foundation to support the silicon and redundant connections, making them almost impervious to corrosion and breakage.
Plus, comprehensive third-party studies rate SunPower panels #1 in durability and are proven to degrade more slowly than conventional solar. That’s why we offer the industry’s best warranty and predict our panels will have a lifespan of over 40 years.
Don’t just take out word for it. Our solar cells are used in harsh conditions like on NASA’s solar rover roaming the polar icecap and can withstand salt water on solar powered boats. Plus, they’ve powered the only solar plane that’s flown around the world.
Does SunPower Make Good Solar Panels?
Yes, SunPower’s panels are widely considered the best in the industry for several reasons. They come at a high cost per watt, but they also deliver some of the most impressive performance specifications available.
Some noteworthy specs include:
- An industry-leading efficiency of 22.8%, compared to an average closer to 20%. This means greater production and higher overall energy savings for you.
- A below-average efficiency degradation of just 8% over 25 years, compared to an industry average closer to 12%. This means your panels will continue to outperform models from other manufacturers.
- A below-average temperature coefficient of.0.27% per degree (C), compared to an industry average of.0.35%. This means better performance in extreme temperatures.
- A positive-only power tolerance of.0%/5%, compared to an industry average of.5%/5%. This means your panels will never dip below their expected production, ultimately saving you more on electric bills in the long run.
In our opinion, the cost is well worth it, especially since the superior performance is likely to save you more on utility bills and pay for itself over time.
SunPower Maxeon Solar Panels
SunPower used to have a few different series of panels available, including the X Series panels, the A Series panels and the M Series panels. Since it split operations and pushed manufacturing to its sister company, Maxeon, it now offers two options, one of which is the Maxeon line.
The Maxeon line from SunPower—which includes the Maxeon 3 and Maxeon 6 panels—is the high-performance model available from the manufacturer. It comes in multiple sizes and different wattages, ranging from 420 watts up to 440 watts. You’ll get the highest efficiency rating of any solar panel in the industry at 22.8% if you opt for the 440-watt variety.
The peak efficiency is achieved, in part, by using a unique solar cell foundation that helps recuperate energy that normally would be lost to the environment. The solid copper foundation also helps improve durability, which allows SunPower to provide a warranty that’s nearly twice as long as the industry average.
These panels are all black, super sleek, and don’t have any visible grid lines. Since many homeowners care about the appearance of the panels on their roofs, this is another positive attribute of these PV panels.
SunPower Performance Solar Panels
The Performance line from SunPower—which includes the Performance 3 and the Performance 6 panels—is a slightly more affordable but less capable line of photovoltaic (PV) modules. These panels range from 370 watts up to 415 watts, with a peak efficiency of 21.1%, which is still above the industry average.
The Performance line of panels doesn’t use the solid copper foundation that the Maxeon line is best known for. Instead, it uses a traditional silicon and metal fiber foundation in its monocrystalline PERC solar cells. PERC (passivated emitter and rear contact) is a term used for advanced solar technology that is designed to boost performance by reducing the amount of sunlight lost by the panel.
While PERC technology isn’t unique to SunPower, the “hypercell” these panels use is. We’ll explain this tech in greater detail in the next section, but for now, just know that it helps boost durability and performance in all situations.
What Technology Does SunPower Use In Its Solar Panels?
SunPower panels are known for their industry-leading specifications, and there are two innovative technological advances the company has made that lend themselves to such high performance.
Solid Copper Foundation
Most notably, the panels in the Maxeon series are made with a new manufacturing technique using solid copper as a foundation rather than a baked sheet of silicon and metal shards. The solid foundation helps boost solar energy absorption, increasing panel efficiency.
The innovative solid copper backing also improves the durability of the PV cells. The M-Series is, as of this writing, the only panel in the industry to use this manufacturing technique.
Hypercell Technology
SunPower also uses “hypercell” technology in its Performance series. It’s manufactured by layering six strips of a solar cell in a shingle formation and connecting them with an adhesive that’s designed to flex.
The flexibility improves durability and reduces the risk of damage, even with excessive temperature swings. SunPower released a short video about how this technology works and why it’s superior to the traditional manufacturing method. You can watch that below:
Overall, the technology SunPower uses is superior to anything else we’ve seen from manufacturers. The tech speaks for itself, too, as SunPower’s efficiency ratings, temperature coefficients, warranty coverage options and degradation rates are some of the most advanced in the industry.
How Do SunPower Solar Panels Perform in Different Climates?
SunPower solar panels outperform most other panels we’ve reviewed in both hot and cold climates.
Solar panels lose efficiency in hotter temperatures due to excited electrons escaping the PV cells. At present, this is unavoidable, but some companies have made advancements that help boost PV performance in high temperatures.
The metric used to explain solar module performance in the heat is called temperature coefficient, which is the percentage of the panel’s efficiency that is lost for every degree above 25 degrees (C) or around 77 degrees (F). The higher the temperature coefficient, the less efficient the panel will be in hotter climates.
SunPower has one of the lowest temperature coefficients on the market at just 0.27%. The only other panel we’ve seen below 0.3% comes from Panasonic. Ultimately, that means SunPower panels will lose less solar energy in hot temperatures, boosting performance and production.
In colder climates, solar panels tend to get more efficient due to fewer excited electrons escaping the cells. SunPower’s above-average efficiency rating helps boost production in the cold as well.
Watch Below: See Why SunPower Solar Panels Can Perform Well in the Shade
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X22 solar panels
Our top-of-the-line solar panels provide homeowners more energy. They deliver the highest efficiency available in a residential solar panel today, at a record-breaking 22.8%. That means homeowners get more electricity, more flexibility, more peace of mind and lower electricity bills.
X-21 335 Watt Signature Black Aka The Hottest Panel On The Block!
SunPower ® AC modules, which include a factory-integrated SunPower microinverter, provide a revolutionary combination of high efficiency, high reliability, and module-level DC-to-AC power conversion. Designed specifically for use with SunPower InvisiMount™ and the SunPower Monitoring System, SunPower AC modules enable Rapid installation, best-in-class system aesthetics, and intuitive visibility into system performance. All this comes with the best Combined Power and Product Warranty in the industry.
X-21 345 Watt Panel Efficiency, Lower Electric Bills
Because X-21 345 Watt residential solar panels generate more electricity from a smaller area, you can expand energy production simply by using additional roof space to add more panels at a later date.
Our panels guarantee more power, and more peace of mind. We also offer the best combined power and product warranty for 25 years. And because our panels are built on a solid copper foundation, SunPower® solar cells deliver unmatched reliability over the lifetime of your solar energy system.
X-22 360 Watt Panel Most Power, Less Space
Our X-22 360 Watt panels produce the most energy and take up much less space. They boast the highest efficiency available on the market by any manufacturer and deliver 44% more power per panel, which means you can generate more power in smaller spaces, with fewer panels. Simply put, these panels convert more sunlight to electricity, producing 75% more energy per square foot over the first 25 years. X-22 panels are designed for durability, using the SunPower® Maxeon Solar Cell – the only cell built on a solid copper foundation. These cells make the panels virtually impervious to the corrosion and cracking that degrade conventional panels. X-22 panels rank #1 in the Fraunhofer durability test and have 100% power maintained in the Atlas 25 comprehensive durability test.