In 1954, Bell Labs pioneered the development of solar power technology, creating solar panels able to provide enough power to support the telephone service to a 1950s farming family. Approximately 56 years later, SunPower, in conjunction with Alcatel-Lucent and ConEdison Development, will install a 1.2 MW ground-mounted solar power system at Bell Labs’ global headquarters in Murray Hill, New Jersey.

Occupying six acres of the 200-acre Bell Labs campus, the SunPower system will generate approximately $2.5 million in cost savings over the next 15 years, which is the equivalent to the amount of energy required to power more than 200 average New Jersey homes on an annual basis.

At SunPower, our president and founder Dr. Richard Swanson has studied up on the early days of the solar industry and is excited about the implications of this installation. Swanson said “SunPower is proud to install this system at Bell Labs, the birthplace of many seminal technologies such as the transistor. Bell Labs is also the birthplace of the first practical solar cell in 1954. Now, 56 years later, solar cells have become one of the fastest growing sources of clean electrical power, so it is fitting that this national treasure is turning to solar cell technology for its power.”

Today and tomorrow, SunPower is celebrating its 25th anniversary in the solar industry and its 5-year anniversary as a public company!

To commemorate, we’re extending a one-time only solar rebate offer for homeowners that want to reduce their carbon footprint and lower their energy bills. Join the celebration and sign up for our limited-time offer to save up to $2,000 on a residential solar system. This anniversary offer expires tomorrow, Thursday, November 18th at 11:59 p.m. PST.


The SunPower executive team celebrates 25 years of solar and 5 years on the NASDAQ

Going Solar is easier and cheaper than ever

The $2000 solar rebate from SunPower, on top of additional local, state, and federal incentives you might be eligible for, have already helped hundreds of SunPower customers to lower their monthly energy costs through solar. These are actual owner testimonials from the SunPower Facebook page:

I have solar panels with SunPower and you cannot believe the $$ I have saved in electricity. Make sure you contact them when you are ready to install panels! :o) - Beverly Tom

We put in a SunPower system through Arizona Solar Power last year. Our bills for the last 12 months total $1279.40 LESS than the previous 12 months. We are very happy. The panels look good too. - Terry Drucker

Join with us to celebrate 25 years and save up to $2,000 on a solar system for your home. Take advantage of this special offer by signing up for a free solar evaluation today or tomorrow!

* To be eligible for the special offer, you must own your home, live in SunPower dealer coverage area and sign up for a free evaluation with SunPower. Please note, this offer cannot be combined and is not available for previously installed or contracted SunPower systems.

As we near the end of SunPower’s Make an Impact Facebook campaign, our friends at the Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties have shared a great video (below) detailing the install of their new 322-kW SunPower solar system. The installation was a donation from SunPower and Cypress Semiconductors, working through the SunPower Foundation. On October 1st, the Second Harvest team marked the occasion with a dedication ceremony attended by Second Harvest Food Bank CEO Kathy Jackson, San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed, SunPower CEO Tom Werner and Cypress Semiconductor CEO TJ Rodgers.

As Kathy Jackson says in the video, every cost (including electricity) at Second Harvest Food Bank boils down to meals provided. Thanks to the new SunPower system, Second Harvest Food Bank will save 50% off their future electricity bill and provide 6 million more meals to the local community over the life of the project.

The installation at Second Harvest Food Bank represents how the SunPower Foundation partners with non-profit organizations to provide solar power and positively impact local communities. If you want to Make Your Impact, visit the SunPower Facebook page and ‘like’ SunPower by Monday, November 15th. We’ll donate $10 on your behalf to similar non-profit solar projects. Likewise, visit the Second Harvest Food Bank site to learn how to help Santa Clara and San Mateo communities by donating your money or your time.

Back in early May, SunPower launched the Make an Impact campaign on Facebook in an effort to connect with fellow solar enthusiasts and donate to community-based solar projects through our partner, the SunPower Foundation. Six months later, over $3,000 fans have 'liked' SunPower on Facebook, resulting in more than $3000 donated to solar projects around the world.

The original goal of Make an Impact called for SunPower to donate $100,000 to non-profit solar projects by November 1st. Today, we’re a ways off, so we’re upping the ante. For the next two weeks (ending November 15th), we’ll donate $10 on behalf of any new fans who 'Like' SunPower on Facebook. That’s right, all you have to do is "Like" SunPower on Facebook, and we will donate $10 to solar development projects operated by our esteemed, non-profit partners.

If you’re looking to make an impact in the growth and adoption of solar energy, click on this Facebook link, "Like" SunPower and know that you’re responsible for a $10 donation to non-profit solar. If you want to make an even greater impact, you can share this news with your friends by clicking here. At the $10 donation rate, we’ll need 9,700 new fans by November 15th to reach our ultimate donation goals. Thanks for working with us to make this donation possible.

The solar projects the SunPower Foundation has contributed to include powering Malaysian turtle hatcheries operated by the World Wildlife Fund, assisting rural electrification in the Philippines through Winrock International and operating solar education programs across the US (centered around the awesome Solar Flowers) with BlackRock Solar. See below for photos from the SunPower Foundation projects or check out our Facebook photo album:


The Black Rock Solar SunFlowers were all the rage at Exploratorium in San Francisco in early October. They’re beautiful, but they also teach kids and adults about solar energy.


Black Rock Solar teaches US kids about renewable energy and environmental stewardship.


The SunPower Foundation supports Winrock International in powering schools in rural sections of the Philippines.