SunPower – Safe as Houses

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Solar technology has improved exponentially over the past 10 years. In correlation, so has the number of solar brands popping up across the globe. This abundance of choice can make it a minefield for you when it comes to working out what’s right for you and your home or business.

Fortunately, our Master Electricians at SAE Group have done all the hard work for you. Our solar experts have travelled to factories around the world including Germany, China, Taiwan, Singapore and America throughout the last decade to source the very best quality residential and commercial solar products that money can buy. So, what did they find? The undisputed result was, of course, SunPower. SunPower are known for making some of the best solar panels on this planet, with their technology incomparable to other brands on the market today.

Since 1985 SunPower has been leading global solar innovation. In patents alone, they have more than 200 in solar technology, with there solar panels featuring Maxeon cell technology. There solar panels consistently deliver more energy and long-term peace of mind with one of the highest performing solar power systems available today.

SunPower’s warranty is the best on the market

Not all solar panels are created equal.

The performance and longevity of your system depends on the solar technology and the brand you choose. To date, SunPowers’ failure rate is 27 in 1 million, which means only 1 in 37,000 has required replacing. It’s numbers like these that enable SunPower to lead the market with their 25 year product warranty, one of very few on the market. SunPower also guarantee their panels have a higher efficiency (produce more power) than their competitors.

As with anything these days, you get what you pay for. SunPower panels are a premium product, and as such demand a slightly higher price tag. However a 25 year warranty means you’ll only have to buy your panels once, compare that to the standard panels covered with only a 10 year product warranty and you stand to potentially pay for your panels 2.5 times over in the life of the SunPower panel.

Solar is a long term investment, invest wisely and give yourself piece of mind with the 25-year warranty.

Maximized energy production

Not only can you rely on SunPower’s warranty but also the fact that they will produce more electricity per watt than most other panels. Their extensive R & D has focused eliminating the weakest points of conventional panel design to deliver a panel that offers superior efficiency, power and reliability. The shingles cell technology removes the need for fragile ribbons and solder bonds on the surface of the cell to expand active cell area. The surface of the panel is completely bare, with nothing to block the sunlight from reaching the silicon. A typical panel would usually have a grid of wires on top of the panel, whilst SunPower has figured out how to put them below the surface.

Another great aspect of SunPower panels is that they can handle shade better than most panels because they have added diodes into ever single solar cell on each panel. Solar panels need sunlight to work – and even if there is a little bit of shade from dirt on one panel, this can reduce the production for the entire string of panels. Now most solar panels try to get around this by dividing the panel into thirds, with the aim to only reduce the panels output by a third too. Once again, SunPower takes it that bit further by dividing each panel by the number of cells and therefore only affecting the output of one cell on one panel from the entire string.

Why do SunPower panels last longer?

Thanks to the copper connections, SunPower panels are able to run up to three degrees cooler than a competitor’s panel which is one of the reasons for their higher production level. It is also one of the reasons why SunPower panels degrade slower than most as they don’t suffer the damaging effects of thermal expansion. Which is also one of the reasons why their warranty covers a 0.4% decline in output per year, which is incredible! After 10 years of using your panels, you can expect a 345-watt panel to still produce 331 watts or it will be replaced for you. Although of course you can always expect the warranty to be greater than the expectation.

Are they worth it?

SunPower has previously been known to be out of price range for the typical homeowner. Thankfully times have changed with SunPower now being more affordable and now within easier reach. Although, if you want quality, you do have to pay for it.

In the long run, with their warranty being 15 years longer than a competitive panel warranty, it would likely end up working out a lot cheaper as you don’t need to buy new panels after 10 years. By spending an extra $1,500 upfront, you can enjoy 15 more years with your mind at ease. It makes more sense to buy good solar that will last than buying a new system every 10 years. SunPower panels should also produce more power than standard modules, so that extra upfront cost should be offset just by the increase in solar production. Win-win!

Another consideration is the government financial incentives for solar power. With this incentive recently decreasing at the end of last year, and scheduled to continue to do so until 2031. If you had to replace a system that only had a 10-year product warranty after that period, you can expect to pay approximately 30-40% more than what you would be paying now. Which means the price customers would pay for a solar system after 2031 would be significantly higher than the price difference you would pay for SunPower.

Great quality has never been so affordable

At SAE Group, we always try to figure out ways to make solar panels accessible for all homeowners and businesses. Which is why until January 31^st we are offering an extra $100 off per kW on SunPower P19 320W panels up to 6.6kW. That’s a total discount of $1320.00 off a 6.6kW Sunpower system*. Now you can have some of the best panels in the world on your roof for a fraction of the price, and rest easy knowing they’re covered with a 25-year warranty.

We also have a range of finance options available, subject to lending criteria eligibility, which can give you the option to spread the upfront cost over time as you enjoy savings on your electricity bills.

Give us a call today

If you’re interested in securing your energy future call SAE Group on 1300 18 20 50 or fill in our contact us page here to take advantage of this limited time offer before it’s gone.