SPI 2012: SunPower raises bar on module performance and product warranties

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  Although not the first to offer linear module performance warranties, SunPower would seem to have raised the bar on combining warranties for both power and product to a 25-year term.
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  SunPower claimed that the new warranty offered the ‘industry's lowest power degradation with more warranted energy’ as it claimed 95% of power provided from specification for the first 5-years, followed by a maximum degradation rate of 0.4% through the remaining years of the warranty.

Although not the first to offer linear module performance warranties, SunPower would seem to have raised the bar on combining warranties for both power and product to a 25-year term. The company is also simplifying the warranty documentation to provide clearer and greater transparency. The warranties will also apply to residential, commercial and utility-scale customers since July 1, 2012.

"SunPower's 25-year combined power and product warranty is possible due to our proven, differentiated Maxeon solar cell technology," commented Tom Werner, SunPower president and CEO.  "These cells make our high-efficiency panels incredibly durable, allowing SunPower to offer our customers this first-of-its-kind warranty increasing performance with more energy delivery.  SunPower is standing behind its products with this new easy-to-understand warranty which serves our customers well for any issues that may arise."

SunPower claimed that the new warranty offered the ‘industry's lowest power degradation with more warranted energy’ as it claimed 95% of power provided from specification for the first 5-years, followed by a maximum degradation rate of 0.4% through the remaining years of the warranty.

The company claims that the modules are guaranteed to provide an 87% power level at the end of the warranty, providing 9.1% more energy than the industry standard over the first 25-years.

Also covered by the warranties is associated labour and transportation costs should a warranty claim be accepted when using its dealer and partner network.