The panels offered by SunPower have been under development since the 1970s and are some of the best quality in the industry. If you decide you want the best level of performance and reliability, it makes sense to consider SunPower. They rely on panel technology developed at Stanford University and have been in business since the mid 80's, long before most competitors were offering services. The company makes it possible to lease or buy a system, and with more than 18,000,000 MWH of power generated from their systems worldwide, they have the experience to promise quality results.

Equipment

SunPower Panels - SunPower relies on custom panels that are known for putting out up to 75 percent more energy than standard solar panels do. The panels are designed to stand up to extreme temperatures and the company is confident its panels will remain useful far past the expected 25-year period.

How it Works

Schedule Consultation - Easily schedule a consultation for a system by calling SunPower or entering your information into the web form.

Design and Permit - Experts at SunPower look over information gathered about your roof and design a system well-suited to the environment. They then obtain the necessary permits for the system.

Installation – A team of talented installers will travel out to your home and put in the new system. They hookup advanced monitoring equipment and tie it into the grid so you can receive credit for any excess energy produced. Monitoring

If you choose the SunPower lease agreement, the company will monitor and make any necessary repairs to your system throughout the agreement lifetime. If you choose to purchase a system, you will be responsible for monitoring it. Fortunately, the company makes it easy to do this, with their monitoring utility. You get access to the SunPower Dashboard, which breaks down the amount of energy generated and used by your household on a daily, weekly, monthly, yearly and a lifetime basis. This lets you see exactly what's going on and makes it simple to spot major changes in your system.

Cost

SunPower provides three different options to its customers. It offers a lease agreement and two different purchase agreements, providing a variety of options for every buyer.

The Lease - The SunPower 20-year lease guarantees a set amount of power to you each month and in exchange you pay a monthly rent payment. The company handles all the maintenance and removes the panels once the agreement is over, leaving your home just as it was before. This option is good for those who want to get into solar but don't want to pay much upfront. It's also desirable because you don't have to worry about any of the maintenance or upkeep involved.

Get a Loan - If you decide you want to own the system but can't pay for it outright, a loan can be a good option. SunPower offers system loans through partnering lenders and can put together a system for you while only requiring an initial down payment to get things started. You'll own the setup and benefit from all the power it produces. Maintenance is your responsibility, but the system comes with a comprehensive warranty. Loans vary between 5 and 20 year periods depending on what you want.

Buy Outright - If you want to save the most money on your energy, it makes the most sense to buy your solar system outright. This method will cost the most, but you get to earn back that investment each and every month solar power lowers your utility bill. This saves you the most over time, but you will be responsible for upkeep.

Customer Support

SunPower provides customer support numbers for all of their corporate locations. They also offer a section to submit questions on their website and an additional customer support number for quick questions you have.

The Good…

• SunPower has years more experience than most of their competitors and it has an extensive network of installers that service most states around the country.

The Bad…

• SunPower utilizes all of its own equipment and the customer may not save as much as with a company that leases from other manufacturers.

And The Ugly

• None