According to an industry survey of nearly 600 solar installers across the United States, 30% of home solar shoppers in 2017 were also interested in battery storage. Researchers like IHS Markit expect that interest to grow, estimating that the installed base of U.S. residential battery energy storage will increase fourfold from 2018 to 2022. To meet current and future customer demand, SunPower has announced that its all-in-one SunPower Equinox home solar energy system is currently compatible with battery storage solutions from sonnen and Tesla through participating dealers.
“By adding storage, homeowners can rest assured that they’ll have a reliable source of backup energy to power essential devices and appliances during grid outages, and the opportunity to maximize electricity cost savings year-round,” said Norm Taffe, SunPower executive vice president, residential solar. “While there are many energy storage products on the market, we have hand-picked sonnen and Tesla and ensured that they work harmoniously with the SunPower Equinox solution to deliver more dependable power and design appeal, giving our customers and dealers an opportunity to choose the battery option that best suits their needs.”
New, innovative digital tool helps homeowners explore personalized solar and storage options
SunPower is also introducing an intuitive, quick, and easy-to-use solar+storage calculator allowing interested customers to determine if solar and storage together is a fit for their lifestyle. The calculator will suggest the number of solar panels and batteries required to reach a homeowner’s electric bill savings, energy mix, or backup power goals based on monthly electricity use. Homeowners can virtually add or remove solar panels and batteries to assess various system configurations, while savings estimates update in near real-time based on local utility rates.
“As a leader in residential solar, SunPower is committed to simplifying solar for customers, whether it’s with innovative systems like SunPower Equinox, or new digital tools like the solar-and-storage calculator which, in an industry-first, allows customers to see how future or current electric vehicle charging will affect system size and savings,” Taffe continued.
More than 50,000 SunPower Equinox systems are currently installed and operating in the United States
Compared to conventional solar, a SunPower Equinox system generates up to 60% percent more energy in the same space over 25 years using the world’s most efficient solar panels available. Since its launch in 2016, over 50,000 Equinox systems have been installed and commissioned with nearly 60% of those deployed within the last year – more than 75 per day. Recent upgrades include higher-efficiency 350- and 370-W solar panels with smart microinverters that meet code requirements in all 50 states and allow for advanced grid interaction. About 500 Equinox solutions have been paired with storage to date.
“SunPower has a decade of experience monitoring nearly 1.7 GW of solar projects to best understand how they perform, giving us a unique advantage when maximizing the value of solar-plus-storage solutions for our customers,” Taffe said. “We’ve used these key learnings to ensure that SunPower Equinox delivers maximum savings and uptime to residential customers when combined with storage.”
Initially, SunPower Equinox will be compatible with sonnen storage solutions in the continental United States and Tesla storage solutions nationwide. Interested customers should contact their local SunPower installation contractor to explore available storage options. SunPower Equinox systems are backed by a 25-year industry-leading, complete confidence warranty. Storage warranties will vary by manufacturer.
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