Sunpower

[whinmoor]

Has anyone else noticed Segen now selling Sunpower 327 panels? They look impressive but pretty expensive though!

Is it ok for any installer to use them? I thought Sunpower had a policy of only allowing approved installer to use their kit?

 

[confounded]

Interesting, had seen them allowing them to be used in their configurator but did not realise they had started selling them. If you intend to use them it is worth noting they are selling at a 25p/W pricing premium to the SunPower Partners (which we are).

As SunPower partners we have no idea what they are up to atm with their business strategy. We have just been through a period where they could not provide us with panels for 2 months, this made the latest cut substantially more stressful than it needed to be with a 50kWp job needing to be completed in the last week before the cut. We then have a customer signed up this week and were told it would be September before panels would be available only to told today we could get them by next week. Now Segen are stocking them, confused, yes!

Great panel though and we do buy into the technical benefits they offer along with the 25 year warranty.

 

[Worcester]

Check out the Benq panels as well - suprising similarities

 

[Worcester]

AU Optronics manufactures the back contact cells used in SunPower modules, and in it's own brand Benq panels.... hence the similarities (or not same size same power outputs...)

 

[confounded]

I need to check out the latest pricing for the BenQ as last time I checked they were significantly more expensive (10p/w more but may have been trying to capitalise on lack of SunPower supply), lower efficiency and without the 25 year warranty that the SunPower modules come with so we found it hard to advise our customers to make the switch.

 

[Worcester]

Efficiencies should the same, the panels specs are identical ....

 

[confounded]

Efficiencies should the same, the panels specs are identical ....

I thought they were 320W? SunPower is 327 and they used to make a 333W panel and will be replacing this with a 345W.

We have a theory that their partnership with BenQ is allowing them to grade the cells as happens in the rest of the industry.

 

[SpitfireW'sale]

Expect Segen bought these modules from European distribution or a failed project without Sunpower UK having anything to do with it.

 

[Worcester]

Sungift Solar were selling the 325's http://www.sungiftsolar.co.uk/uploads/attachments/BENQ - 325 Sunforte Mono.pdf Benq spec says 315/318/320/325/327 W versions

 

[Gavin A]

thanks for the info, looks interesting