SunPower launches today in the United States a new line of solar modules for the residential market. The new A-Series, using SunPower’s “Next Generation Technology” will deliver 400 and 415 W of power. In Europe and Australia, the company has also released 400-W panels known as Maxeon 3.
New A-Series modules on a home
“SunPower is introducing the world’s first 400-W residential solar panels as most in the industry are just crossing the 300-W threshold for home solar,” said Jeff Waters, CEO of the SunPower Technologies business unit. “Our record-breaking cell technology and innovative research and development efforts have enabled us to fit more power capacity on rooftops than we ever have before. Our growing panel portfolio is delivering unprecedented value across global markets that goes unmatched by any other residential solar technology currently available.”
SunPower’s patented Maxeon solar cells are built on a solid copper foundation for high reliability and performance. The Maxeon cells provide SunPower panels with improved resistance to corrosion and cracking.
SunPower’s new larger solar cell (right). Credit: Paul Sakuma Photography
A-Series panels are built with SunPower’s fifth-generation Maxeon solar cells, called Gen 5, which were perfected at the company’s Silicon Valley Research Facility. This new technology required new materials, tools and processes, and resulted in a 65% larger cell than previous generations that absorbs more sunlight and ultimately offers more savings to homeowners.
Combined with Maxeon Gen 5 solar cells is one of the industry’s highest-powered, factory-integrated microinverter, making A-Series ideal for use with SunPower’s Equinox platform. All SunPower panels are backed by its 25-year combined power and product warranty.
The Maxeon 3 panels in Europe and Australia use SunPower’s third generation of smaller Maxeon cells.
“SunPower solar panels are designed to maximize power production and energy savings for our customers, and we’re only scratching the surface of what’s possible in home solar,” Waters said. “With our innovative solar solutions and services, and our established channels to market, SunPower will continue building on its strong leadership position in distributed generation around the world.”
News item from SunPower
Larger maybe, but you all seem to forget that word and real meaning of the word… efficiency! the A425 has 22.8% efficiency, so a larger panel with more efficiency means that you will actually buy less number of panels.
This is “vaporware” in the US. For one thing, I have yet to find a dealer (6-8) contacted nation wide. None of them have 400w x-series. For second point, The one that did wanted 1400 a panel plus shipping. Im told by other dealer that this is bullocks because sunpower will not sell panels unless the dealer gets to install.
Now having said this I would strongly discourage others from buying from SunPower. This practice that you are forced to buy install with panels is bad for the consumer. And in other industries and situations this is called “tie-in” and courts have ruled it illegal.
Customers dont have to wait for lawsuit — just vote with your feet. There are other manufacturers that are so close to this 400W, that its going to be better to go with them.
This. I have been asking them for panel pricing for years now. #DemandBetterSolar. How do they even make money if nobody can buy them, or even determine cost? Just like Auntie Maxeon said, #ReclaimingMyTime. I do not have time for games and nonexistent nonsense. Being mysterious and inaccessible is not cool, it is frustrating af. You are not the revolution. You are not available. I hate your brand. #SunPowerSucks. I hope you get Solyndra’d. You are useless. If your market is multimillion dollar installations only and idiots willing to pay 4x too much for a goddamn commodity, STOP ADVERTIZING TO ME. Solar Cells should be getting smaller and more modular so they can fit in more places, not 65% larger. But you are not trying to install your panels in more places. You are trying to be exclusive. Which is gross morally, and must be bad for your business if it exists at all. Go power your own world cuz you haven’t even tried to power anything in mine, ever. Your degradation rate is actually the worst in the industry because this invisible and inaccessible pricing is demeaning, degrading, and disrespectful to all the nerds that spend their free time trying to make the world a better place and fall into the trap of your marketing wasteland. I don’t know how one monetizes pissing off the little people, but if i ever get my hands on an elusive SunPower panel, i’m throwing it off the roof and tossing the shattered glass onto Youtube to demand better solar. I deserve 420W panels for my home grow anyway. I’ll wait. #ReclaimingMyShine.
I was wondering how much do these 400Watt modules cost? and the type they are called? I was thinking about investing in one where could you recommend me to get started?
Contact SunPower for more information.
Ok well can someone please tell us the difference and do a comparison article..
That will answer the questions, that would be really really great and also maybe throw availability.
Thanks
I just completed an install with the new A series 415 w modules. Amazing product! They are an AC module , 66 cell format . Just slightly larger in height to the standard 60 cell format . Approx 3-4 inches taller .
IF so, these panels will be about 3 inches wider and actually around 1 inch shorter than the typical 350W panels out today, much like the LG 350W series panels. The old Schott solar PV panels that were in the 400W to 500 watt range were right at 4 foot wide by 8 foot long. This allows one to “harvest” 400 to 415W from about 16.25 square feet as opposed to “harvesting” 330 to 350W from about 17.5 square feet.
It’s this kind of technology nudge that will drive some early adopters of solar PV to install these new panels and put their old system on e-bay for the secondary used market. Is this not how the automobile built by Henry Ford became so popular. First as an affordable automobile, then as a cheap second hand car creating the “used car” market? Bring on the high output panels, the hybrid inverters and cheap battery storage to allow net zero energy use for decades to come.
So this is actually 66 cells at 400 watts? And what is the difference between the 400W to the 415W is the 400W a blk on blk?
This is bogus. You can’t get them. Certainly you can’t get them in the US. That’s what they will tell you when you call SP. But they wills say Europe. Call Europe and they will tell you, not Europe; but you can get them in the US.
There have been 400W, even 500W panels for 4.5 years. Even 500W panels at the size of these new
Sunpower panels, 4.5 years ago.
The 6×10 cell A-series produces >400W / panel at 95cm x 156cm while the 96-panel X-series produces 370W are measured 105cm x 156cm.
I don’t think that’s correct. The A-series is 6×11 and much longer than the X series.
What are the frame dimensions? With a larger cell it seems like they would need a larger module. If this is actually the rough size of a current 60-cell module I’ll be impressed, but if they’re making something roughly the size of a 72-cell they can get in line behind other manufacturers who have already done it.
This image going around the internet apparently shows SunPower’s smaller X series on left and the new A series on right. The X series is a 96-cell panel… which is closeish to a traditional 60-cell panel. So maybe the 66-cell A series is more like a traditional 72-cell panel? Not sure.