Solar That Can Take the Heat

The world is setting heat records on every continent. Last July, Europe hit new highs from London to Paris, with records also set in Germany, Netherlands and Belgium. Australia's record heat, sadly, is well-documented. And the increases are happening faster than scientists had predicted.

Solar is broadly recognized as an "easy win" to quickly reduce the CO₂ emissions that lead to global warming - yet not all solar performs well in heat. A poorly performing system will limit your sustainability and financial return.

Across 35 years and more than 30 million panels, SunPower's industry-leading R&D investment1 Based on cumulative investment from 2007 through 2018. Osborne. " R&D spending analysis of 21 PV manufacturers." PVTech.com 2019. has toughened our solar to perform in harsh conditions. Our work is backed by lab tests and field results. Our flagship Maxeon panels maintain their power 2-3x better than conventional panels,2 Jordan, et. al. Robust PV Degradation Methodology and Application. PVSC 2018 produce up to 34% more power in high temperature than conventional panels,3 Based on temperature coefficients provided in manufacturer datasheets 2019. and are backed by solar's strongest warranty4 Based on October, 2019 review of warranties on manufacturer websites for top 20 manufacturers per IHS 2018.  Maxeon panels also have a low return warranty rate of only 0.005%, as measured across panels built since 2013.5 "A Comparative Study: SunPower DC Solar Module Warranty Claim Rate vs. Conventional Panels." SunPower Corporation. 2019.

Designing for Reliability in Heat

A recent report from MIT noted that as temperatures increase, all solar technologies produce less power. The same report noted that 'Higher efficiency cells and advanced cell and module architectures can significantly reduce these losses.6 Ian Marius Peters, Tonio Buonassisi, The Impact of Global Warming on Silicon PV Energy Yield in 2100. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2019) '

Maxeon panels lead all solar panels in efficiency and produce more power in high temperatures than any other panel you can buy.7 Based on datasheet review of websites of top 20 manufacturers per IHS, as of May, 2019.  Our high efficiency panels convert more of the sun's energy to electricity, and therefore run cooler than conventional panels, further increasing power in the real world. SunPower Maxeon panels not only provide solar industry's highest efficiency but also hold their power as the ambient heat rises better than most conventional solar panels. In fact, a recent independent test site in Taiwan measured SunPower panels at 8.5°C lower temperature than the average conventional panel.8 PV Insights 2019.  This unmatched combination of high efficiency and low operating temperature enables SunPower panels to generate more power than any conventional panel, even in extreme temperatures.

Proven in the Field

As referenced above, an independent test in Taiwan measured SunPower Maxeon's energy performance versus expectation, a concept known as 'energy yield'. When compared to other panels on the same site for one year, Maxeon panels demonstrated a 5% energy yield advantage despite an average max temp of 27° C and 78 relative humidity. And, as the chart shows, SunPower's yield advantage over conventional panels only grew as the temperature climbed.

Extreme weather patterns might be the new normal. But SunPower is unwavering in our mission to change the way our world is powered. Just as our customers stand up to climate change, our panels are designed to stand up to harsh conditions. Together, we can make a difference in the fight against a warming planet.