Sanyo Slayer? - Sunpower

[Energetic]

Been looking at Sunpower today, 20% efficiency and no visible surface electrodes, all back contacts and a proper all black panel, anyone seen them in action? They look awesome...

 

[MorganPVI]

You need a 55k bond to be a sunpower installer or million+ pound turnover.

 

[mdovey]

A more efficient panel does not necessarily have better performance (in terms of kWh obtained per kW installed), just that you getter more Watts installed per m squared of roof space.In terms of performance, on paper the sanyo panels are slightly better since they have a lower thermal co-efficient.

If we compare the NOCT values (rather than STC values) which are taken at an ambient temperature of 20C rather than a cell temperature of 25C so are a little closer to real world output:

Sanyo HE240SE - NOCT of 182W which is 75.8% of its headline output of 240W
Sunpower E20/327W - NOCT of 243W which is 74.3% of its headline output of 327W

And the Sanyo performance over the Sunpower improves at higher temperatures (which may not have any major impact in the UK)

This is all on paper, there's another thread here indicating that the Sanyo panels are thicker than other panels (due to the HIT technology), and this reduces their heat dissipation so although they are better at higher temperatures, they also tend to run hotter than other panels.In practice we are only talking <1% difference between the panels.

The main issue is that whilst Sanyo has opted to keep to 240W and 250W modules of a smaller size to most panels, Sunpower had opted for a 327W panel which is larger than most panels. On small or awkwardly shaped roofs, you may be able to get a more efficient use of space with Sanyo than Sunpower (obviously depending on the actual size).

Also, as MorganPVI indicates, you have to be a Sunpower partner to install Sunpower panels, which may limit it to the larger (not necessarily better) installers.

 

[jerriais]

We've been installing a lot of Sunpower since October last year, really pleased with performance so far and the 'clean' look of the panels with no wiring on the front (and the new panel will be black framed and black backing sheet) has been well received by our customers, especially if they were worried about having panels that looked too industrial up on their roof.

 

[Energetic]

I agree with your sentiments on efficiency but i do like the idea of a 12 panel 4kw system. Have also found a kwh/kwp comparison done by Stuttgart University in various locations which is interesting reading:

PV-Systems | Institute for Photovoltaics | University of Stuttgart

Note Sunpower branded as Suntechnics in Germany.

 

[MCS Renewables]

If you fit Sunpower make sure you keep spare modules as company in trouble. Facing massive unresolved court cases in the US and currently bankrupt on paper!

SunPower: Twice As Bad As Solyndra, Twice As Bad For Obama - HUMAN EVENTS

 

[moggy1968]

Thats what comes of being too precious about who you let install your panels!!
would you really put a £55000 bond into a company thats technically bankrupt?

 

[jerriais]

If you look at the background of the author and some of the comments you might want to take that article with a pinch of salt.

 

[moggy1968]

it's obvious he has an axe to grind, but I still wouldn't lodge 55k in a comany of any sort just for the privaledge of doing business with them. It's a ridiculous idea. They can get paid on proforma invoice if their bothered about security. lodging that kind of money with them is, I suspect, a back door way of them trying to improve their liquidity.

 

[MorganPVI]

Technically all the major Chinese manufacturers are bankrupt, given the billions of soft govement loans.

We felt Sunpowers terms were far too onerous on us smaller installers, completely ridiculous as moggy says, still it looks like their business model is not doing them any good what so ever.

 

[Energetic]

Technically all the major Chinese manufacturers are bankrupt, given the billions of soft govement loans

And the UK, US, Europe, and every major bank therein.

Thanks for all the input guys some interesting points worth considering there. The reason this has come up is we've been asked about them by customers quite a lot recently.

Looks like they set a high bar for installers, we'll have to work out whether it's worthwhile for us.

 

[hionthehill]

nice looking pannel , just would have to adjust to choosing inverters that can run a high voltage !!

 

[moggy1968]

remember, never gamble more than you can afford to lose. can you afford to lose £55k?

 

[Energetic]

remember, never gamble more than you can afford to lose. can you afford to lose £55k?

Nobody is going to get £55K out of me i can assure you, but i would like to offer to my customers the best panels available both aesthetically and technologically, which they seem to be.

I've been looking into the company and i doubt their solvency is any more of an issue than all the other solar tech companies that have lost significant ground recently, they're 66% owned by Total which is the 11th biggest company in the world. I know size is no guarantee of financial stability in these times, particularly in the solar game but Total are also the 9th richest corporation in the world (according to tinternet...)

I shall investigate further...

 

[moggy1968]

kodak, woolworths, barings?
like you say, size is no guarantee.
I don't mind buying them if the price and product are right, but not if it means putting myself at financial risk.
let us know how you get on, will be interesting