SunPower vs. Sunrun —two giants on the forefront of the U.S. photo voltaic {industry}.
Each are recognized for his or her high quality photo voltaic panels, battery techniques, and different solar-related choices. However who’re they? Which firm has superior merchandise? And above all, which of those photo voltaic suppliers is best for you?
This text will assist familiarize you with every of the above firms by answering these questions and extra.
SunPower Vs. Sunrun: Breakdown
SunPower vs. SunRun: SunPower overview
SunPower was first established in 1985 by Richard Swanson, {an electrical} engineering professor from Stanford, and has been headquartered in Silicon Valley ever since.
The corporate offers green-tech vitality options to shoppers by promoting, putting in, and financing solar energy merchandise corresponding to panels, batteries, monitoring software program, and mounting {hardware}.
Some extent of satisfaction for this photo voltaic big is the truth that they’re the one U.S.-based firm that’s been round longer than its 25-year guarantee.
Cut up
In August 2020, SunPower Company made the choice to separate into two separate public firms:
- SunPower: Chargeable for supplying all solar-related providers to clients.
- Maxeon Photo voltaic: Chargeable for producing SunPower’s high-efficiency photo voltaic panels.
Maxeon Photo voltaic relies in Singapore, with factories in France, Malaysia, Mexico, and the Philippines. The corporate strategically selected these places to assist them benefit from low-cost manufacturing processes all through Asia.
Now don’t let the concept of “low-cost manufacturing” put you off. Whereas the break up and site change has decreased manufacturing prices, the standard stays unchanged.
Because the break up, Maxeon has offered SunPower with high quality merchandise such because the Maxeon 6 AC Photo voltaic Panel, which boasts an effectivity score of twenty-two.8%.
In brief, the strategic determination to divide the corporate into two elements has paid off for each the corporate and its shoppers.
Are you struggling to measurement your photo voltaic system? Our in-house consultants have created a photo voltaic calculator to assist make issues simpler for you!
SunPower vs. Sunrun: Sunrun overview
Sunrun was first established in 2007 by founders Lynn Jurich, Nat Kreamer, and Ed Fenster.
The corporate engages within the design, growth, set up, sale, possession, and upkeep of residential photo voltaic vitality techniques all through the U.S.
Sunrun presents these photo voltaic providers each on to its clients and thru its companions, together with set up, gross sales, and strategic companions (retail companions included).
Photo voltaic service pioneers
A big distinction between Sunrun and different photo voltaic firms (SunPower included) is its photo voltaic service mannequin. Proper from its inception, Sunrun pioneered this mannequin to create a low-cost answer for purchasers looking for to decrease their vitality payments.
“So, what is that this photo voltaic service mannequin?“
The core service providing comes within the type of Sunrun’s lease and energy buy agreements — the corporate refers to those agreements as “Buyer Agreements.”
How It Works
Whereas SunRun permits clients corresponding to your self to buy one in every of its photo voltaic techniques, 80% to 90% of its enterprise comes from “photo voltaic as a service.”
Primarily, you’ll enter into an settlement with Sunrun, which permits the corporate to lease out and set up a photo voltaic system on your private home — sometimes over a 20 to 25-year interval.
Sunrun offers every day system monitoring, free upkeep, repairs, and complete insurance coverage all through this era. In change, it receives a gentle money circulate from a high-quality buyer with good credit score. Finally, this permits the corporate to qualify for tax (and different) advantages.
For those who’re desirous about Sunrun’s leasing choices, click on right here.
What’s in it for the house owner?
By coming into right into a lease settlement with Sunrun, you may purchase a photo voltaic system for little to no cash upfront. As an alternative, you pay a month-to-month charge. You get monetary savings when this charge is lower than the native utility’s electrical energy charges.
However keep in mind, Sunrun nonetheless sells photo voltaic techniques. As such, you may select from a number of versatile photo voltaic financing choices or pay outright.
Furthermore, you should purchase a leased photo voltaic system after the contract interval is up.
SunPower vs. Sunrun: Which firm produces higher high quality?
As a potential photo voltaic panel proprietor, it’s solely pure so that you can gravitate towards an organization with superior photo voltaic panels. Let’s take a better have a look at what every firm has to supply.
Which firm has superior photo voltaic panels?
SunPower
Proper off the bat, SunPower has the benefit. who produces its photo voltaic panels (Maxeon) and the place they’re manufactured.
Listed here are some examples of what SunPower has to supply:
| Specs | SPR-P6-395-BLK | SPR-P6-400-BLK | SPR-MAX3-410-BLK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wattage | 395W | 400W | 410W |
| Effectivity | 20.1% | 22.6% | 21.6% |
| Product and Energy Guarantee | 25 years | 40 years | 40 years |
| Assured Output % At 25-12 months Mark | 86% | 92% | 92% |
High quality-wise, SunPower stands confidently behind its merchandise. The corporate presents a complete 25-year guarantee overlaying its Efficiency Sequence choices. Moreover, it presents an industry-leading 40-year guarantee on its Maxeon panels.
Sunrun
Sunrun doesn’t manufacture its personal merchandise. Whereas the corporate did have a partnership with LG, the South Korean tech big has since determined to cease manufacturing photo voltaic merchandise. As an alternative, the corporate makes use of a number of tools suppliers.
Right here’s the problem — you received’t know which panels you’ll be supplied with till you enter into the buying course of. With this in thoughts, it’s tough for us to offer you a concrete reply as to the general high quality of its panels.
Lastly, as a result of Sunrun doesn’t manufacture its photo voltaic panels, those that buy its photo voltaic arrays should depend on producer warranties. Nevertheless, the corporate offers a 10-year workmanship guarantee towards injury to your roof or set up issues.
Which firm has superior vitality storage?
SunPower
SunPower presents its SunVault storage. This vitality storage answer (ESS) is a seamless backup energy choice throughout energy outages. Nevertheless, it’s additionally appropriate for basic use.
You’ll be able to simply combine these models into current SunPower photo voltaic techniques. On the draw back, SunVault techniques are incompatible with third-party photo voltaic tools.
Sunrun
Sunrun doesn’t manufacture its personal ESS answer. As an alternative, it presents the Tesla Powerwall.
The Tesla Powerwall is a house battery system that shops vitality generated from photo voltaic panels or the grid. Furthermore, it could present backup energy throughout energy outages.
The Powerwall is designed to be easy and simple to put in, whether or not on the bottom or wall-mounted. What’s extra, it’s scalable, so you may set up a number of models collectively to extend your complete storage capability.
However right here’s the most effective half — you may combine it into an current photo voltaic system or use it as a standalone backup energy supply.
Now let’s check out these firms’ respective vitality storage choices:
| Specs | Powerwall+ | SunVault |
|---|---|---|
| Usable capability | 13.5 kWh | 13 to 26 kWh |
| Steady energy score | 5.0 kW | 6.8 kW |
| Depth of Discharge (DoD) | 100% | 100% |
| Spherical-trip effectivity | 90% | 85% |
| Guarantee | 10 years (limitless cycles) | 10 years (limitless cycles) |
| Finish of guarantee capability | 70% | 70% |
What’s the decision?
Photo voltaic panel-wise, SunPower takes the cake. The corporate’s complete 25 and 40-year warranties and the truth that its panels are recognized entities make it an absolute no-brainer.
vitality storage, the winner shouldn’t be so clear. Sunrun presents the Tesla Powerwall, which edges out SunPower’s SunVault when it comes to round-trip effectivity, though its steady energy score shouldn’t be as excessive.
Nevertheless, the SunVault shouldn’t be appropriate with third-party photo voltaic techniques. Due to this fact, we give the benefit to Sunrun.
In want of some photo voltaic blueprints? Click on right here.
SunPower Vs. Sunrun: Which firm is cheaper?
Worth of residential photo voltaic within the U.S.
To get a greater sense of the place every firm stands price-wise, it’s necessary to know the value of residential photo voltaic.
As per the above graph from the NREL’s newest photo voltaic {industry} replace, the median gross value of residential photo voltaic in H1 2022 is $2.77 per watt.
SunPower
In keeping with the NREL, SunPower’s residential photo voltaic panels value round $3.92 per watt. Taking this determine into consideration, a 5kW photo voltaic panel system in america will value you round:
$3.92 per watt x 5,000 = $19,600
Supply: 2022 NREL white paper
Sunrun
Sunrun’s photo voltaic panels have a tendency to return in at a dearer $5.39 per watt. Due to this fact, a 5kW photo voltaic panel system in america will value you round:
$5.39 per watt x 5,000 = $26,950
Notice to our readers: the above values don’t think about system effectivity. Whereas we’d prefer to account for effectivity to offer you extra correct estimates, it merely isn’t attainable attributable to Sunrun sourcing its merchandise from a number of third-party suppliers.
What’s the decision?
Each SunPower’s ($3.92) and Sunrun’s ($5.39) prices per watt are effectively over the $2.77 common.
However once more, it’s clear that the second spherical of the SunPower vs. Sunrun duel goes to SunPower, with the previous having a considerably cheaper cost-per-watt common.
Which Firm is Proper For You?
This a part of the SunPower vs. Sunrun debate comes right down to your wants.
If you wish to buy a photo voltaic system outright, then SunPower is the go-to choice. There’s a purpose the corporate has develop into a juggernaut within the photo voltaic {industry} — its service and merchandise are effectively famend and of top of the range.
Nevertheless, in case you don’t wish to commit to buying a system and would favor to lease one, Sunrun is a stable wager.
Sure, we all know that SunPower leases out their techniques too, however Sunrun has been on the forefront of photo voltaic leasing agreements for a very long time. In spite of everything, they did pioneer the mannequin.
Evaluations
Evaluations exist for a purpose. Certain, inherent bias does play a job, but it surely’d be foolish to disregard the worth of evaluations fully.
With the above in thoughts, listed below are some hyperlinks to every firm’s evaluations on Shopper Affairs and Greatest Firm.
SunPower
Sunrun
Associated Studying: SunPower vs. Tesla (Which model must you select?)
FAQs
How do SunPower and Sunrun strategy customer support and help?
Whereas the article doesn’t particularly point out the customer support particulars of SunPower and Sunrun, usually, respected photo voltaic firms prioritize buyer help, providing varied channels like telephone, electronic mail, and chat help to help with inquiries, points, or issues.
Potential clients are suggested to learn evaluations and maybe contact every firm on to gauge the extent of customer support offered.
Can I combine Sunrun photo voltaic techniques with third-party vitality storage options?
The article doesn’t specify, however sometimes, photo voltaic firms like Sunrun would possibly enable integration with varied third-party vitality storage options, provided that compatibility and technical specs are met.
It could be finest to contact Sunrun straight for exact data on integrations.
How environmentally pleasant are the manufacturing processes of SunPower and Sunrun?
The article doesn’t present particular particulars on the environmental affect of the manufacturing processes of SunPower and Sunrun.
For correct and detailed data on the sustainability and environmental practices of each firms, it will be finest to check with official stories or attain out to the businesses straight.
How do the set up processes of SunPower and Sunrun evaluate?
Specifics on the set up processes of SunPower and Sunrun should not lined within the article. Sometimes, the set up course of entails an preliminary evaluation, system design, allowing, set up, and ultimate inspections.
Potential clients ought to contact every firm straight to know their respective set up processes, timelines, and any further providers provided.
What financing choices can be found for SunPower photo voltaic techniques moreover buying outright?
The article primarily discusses buying choices however doesn’t delve into particular particulars concerning SunPower’s different financing choices.
Typically, photo voltaic suppliers supply varied financing options together with leases, loans, and Energy Buy Agreements (PPAs). For detailed and customised financing choices, it is suggested to seek the advice of with SunPower straight.
Are there any efficiency ensures offered by Sunrun given the variability in photo voltaic panel producers?
The article doesn’t present particular particulars about efficiency ensures by Sunrun. Normally, firms supply efficiency ensures to make sure that the photo voltaic techniques function at a sure effectivity degree.
Potential clients ought to inquire straight with Sunrun to acquire exact data concerning efficiency ensures, particularly contemplating the variability in photo voltaic panel producers.
Remaining ideas
By now, we’re assured that you’ve a significantly better thought of every firm and what they entail. However keep in mind, further analysis can solely profit you. So earlier than you decide to something, remember to examine as a lot as attainable.
In closing, we hope you’ve discovered this useful resource to be of use. Ought to you could have any additional questions or insights into this (or some other subject), we encourage you to comply with us on Twitter or attain out to us within the feedback part beneath.
