Here’s the challenge: How can a trek of modern-day explorers use clean energy to power a snowmobile trek across Antarctica? For the Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) of South Korea, who is spearheading this historic journey, the solution is using SunPower’s leading high efficiency panels:

SBS is funding the cross-continental adventure and plans to air a special documentary about the journey in May 2011 to coincide with the network’s 21st anniversary. The team of explorers is aiming to reach the South Pole, but they’re also looking to raise the issue of environmental awareness. To that end, SBS partnered with SunPower for portable solar charging stations that will power the group’s snowmobiles and additional camp equipment.

Below is a map detailing the group itinerary. The explorers disembarked from Patriot Hills station and are trekking towards the South Pole. On Day 23, they’re halfway to their destination, having completed 562 km of the 1,076 km journey. The team has faced a harrowing blizzard and other extreme weather.

You can get updates on the remainder of the SBS journey over the following weeks by liking SunPower on Facebook and following SunPower on Twitter. If you’re interested in more information please visit the Korean-language Facebook and Twitter pages maintained by the trek sponsors.

The Antarctica journey represents a great way to spread the word about solar. What other solar-powered adventures you’d like to see?

For all of you who’ve spent time in the last few weeks digging out driveways and walking through winter wonderlands, you probably have a newfound respect for the power of Mother Nature. At SunPower, we have the same respect, as we design and test our panels to maintain their high-efficiency production during the most extreme weather. In fact, a recent hailstorm at a customer installation in Phoenix, AZ demonstrated the importance of all-weather solar panel durability.

Back in October 2010, an afternoon hailstorm struck the Cowley Industrial Complex on the south side of Phoenix. The golf ball-sized hail was so large and ferocious that after the storm our local dealer, Don Herman of Empire Power Systems, said "It looked like someone had machine-gunned the complex with large bullets." However, the building’s southern end, which houses a 6.5 acre panel SunPower solar installation, was virtually spotless. More importantly, the solar panel’s continued to run at capacity producing 2.5 MW of electricity (enough to power 340 homes). In fact, out of the 8,000 panels that made up the installation, only three panels were damaged.

The tiles used in the Cowley installations were SunPower T5 tiles. Since the T5 panel is a non-penetrating model, it doesn’t require drilling holes in a building’s roof to hold the installation in place. This saved Cowley from melt water leaking through the ceiling of its distribution center and slowing operations. Facing the most extreme weather conditions, Cowley was able to maintain business as usual (and keep generating solar power)!

Next time you have to head out the door with shovel in hand, remember that your reliable SunPower panels should be in perfect operating condition. You’ll likely only need to brush the snow off of them to provide clear access to sunlight. Are your panels steadily pumping out power while surrounded by snow? If so, we’d love to see pictures of your installation braving the winter elements on our SunPower Facebook Wall.

Today, we have a story of solar for elephants, along with many other animals, at the Perth Zoo in Western Australia.



Earlier this month, the Perth Zoo unveiled the city’s largest solar site installation: a 91 kW SunPower system spanning the zoo’s elephant barn and seven additional structures. This 303-panel installation is the first of two stages in a $2.7 million renewable generation project at the zoo. With over 300 sunny days each year, this installation will provide the lion’s share of energy to several zoo buildings.



Perth Zoo went solar to demonstrate its commitment to sustainability and conservation. The installations around the zoo and accompanying educational materials will serve as an ideal teaching tool for the 630,000 visitors who pass through each year. Many young children and their families will learn about the environmental benefits of solar energy while checking out the elephant den.

The Perth Zoo’s solar investment was made possible through joint funding by the state and federal governments. It is part of the Perth Solar City program, a $73.5 million initiative aimed at making solar power a viable alternative for local communities and encouraging local residents and businesses to consider solar energy solutions.

Government solar installations like that at the Perth Zoo are incredibly valuable in influencing the uptake of solar energy. Not only do these installations make financial sense for local governments looking to diminish costs and protect themselves against energy volatility, they also show others that solar investments are possible. That’s a lesson the resident of Perth, and the elephants, won’t forget.

This week’s post is the second installment of our utility-scale solar blog series featuring Matt Campbell, Director of Utility Products and Market Development at SunPower.

In this installment, Campbell discusses the advantages of the Oasis Power Plant solution for utilities, solar power plant developers and investors. He describes how Oasis streamlines the utility-scale power plant construction and development process by providing pre-engineered modules for quicker installation.

According to Campbell, “The first [way that Oasis streamlines the construction process] is, by having a pre-engineered block. What that means is, when you have a new piece of land, it becomes a very simple matter to overlay the pre-engineered power blocks over the terrain… So again, a standard kit of designs that enable a very fast preliminary design development process.”

He goes on to discuss the benefits of pre-qualification by investors, and highlights how SunPower’s Oasis technology enhances energy production at its peak:

“The Oasis system has been designed from the bottom up to optimize production when the utility is used the most, which is at peak demand. Now if you look at a place like California, the peak demand for energy is the summer in the afternoon, when on a hot day, most people have their air conditioning systems running, which creates an enormous strain on the grid and on their power plants. So what Oasis does is by using an optimized tracking system design, it’s producing up to forty percent more power during that summer afternoon peak period, which in the southwest of the United States is the peak of demand.”

Stay tuned - in two weeks, Matt Campbell will discuss Levelized Cost of Energy, or LCOE, a way to compare the cost of generation over the life of the system for differing generation technologies.

Check out the video below to learn more about SunPower Oasis advantages, and please join the discussion on our Facebook community at www.facebook.com/sunpower or follow us on Twitter (@SunPower) for the latest solar PV technology updates.

When SunPower announced the SunPower Oasis Power Plant in May 2010, we made a commitment to develop the industry’s most cost-optimized and scalable solar power plant solution. Now, as we’ve begun our first deployment of a U.S. Oasis power plant in Arizona and have recently contracted with Southern California Edison to deliver 711 MW of power by 2016 (enough to power nearly half a million California homes), we want to share additional details about Oasis and how it simplifies PV power plant development.

In the following two-part video blog series, Matt Campbell, Director of Utility Products and Market Development at SunPower, shares a general overview behind the concept of the Oasis Power Plant, detailing the benefits and advantages for utilities, developers and investors, and discussing how SunPower technology can streamline the deployment process for a solar power plant from the ground to the grid.

In this first segment, Campbell outlines the reasoning behind Oasis plants, claiming:

“The core focus of Oasis is scalability. So when we conceived of this program, and we looked at the future of photovoltaic power plants, what we saw is that the current approach to building PV power plants wasn’t scalable in the size and scale of the market.”

Campbell goes on to say, "Every power plant is different. And we really wanted to get to the next level of cost reduction, long-term operation and maintenance, and overall speed and construction. We believe that you need a modular approach to the problem. And that’s what Oasis provides.”

Next week, Campbell will explain the advantages of the Oasis Power Plant solution for utilities, solar power plant developers and investors. If you have questions or would like more information, please join the discussion in our community on Facebook (www.facebook.com/sunpower) and follow us on Twitter (@SunPower) for the latest solar PV technology updates.

In 2007, we began our partnership with Sierra Nevada when the brewing company commissioned the first phase of what would become one of the U.S.’s largest private solar installations. Hosting over 2,228 SunPower panels and producing over 1.9 MW of power for the brewery, the installation was a key leap forward in Sierra Nevada’s company goal to 100 percent sustainable energy production. Coupled with an existing 1 MW fuel plant, they are able to provide the majority of its electrical energy needs with clean power produced on-site - and share surplus electrical energy with the California power grid! We’re proud to partner with a company so dedicated to a clean energy future. If you have not had a chance to visit this sustainable yet fun brewing facility, you can learn more and take a virtual tour of the installation by watching the video below!

Today, our partnership continues with two special programs designed specifically for Sierra Nevada employees and consumers:

Unplug Solar Program
As part of their commitment to solar, Sierra Nevada partnered with us to provide their consumers (you!) with a way to reduce their carbon footprint and save on electricity bills through the use of renewable energy generated from solar. In addition to Federal, State and local solar rebate incentives, the Unplug Solar Program provides an additional rebate of up to $1,500 on the purchase of a SunPower solar system. Click here to find more details on the Unplug Solar Program.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Employee Solar Program
Sierra Nevada further extended its commitment to renewable energy by partnering with SunPower on a special program designed specifically for Sierra Nevada employees. With the program, we wanted to enable employees to save on electricity by providing an additional rebate of up to $1,750 on the purchase of a SunPower solar system, in addition to Federal, State and local solar rebate incentives. Click here to learn more about how Sierra Nevada Employee Solar Program works.

Is your company also interested in providing discounts to its employees on SunPower panels? If yes, then get in touch with us at affiliate.solar@sunpowercorp.com or call us at 1.877.779.7496.

For this week’s entry in the Solar Basics series, we’re revisiting the topic of efficiency. Everyone spanning installers, manufacturers, online commenters and industry experts will stress that efficiency is one of the most important drivers in the solar purchase process. But few resources provide a clear explanation of what efficiency is, how efficiency is calculated and what factors influence efficiency. Today we’ll try and clear up the confusion.

For starters, here’s an informative interview with SunPower Founder and President Emeritus Dick Swanson in which he explains solar panel efficiency and how it benefits homeowners:

Dr. Swanson touches on two key areas that influence the efficiency of solar power systems. First is the rate at which the solar panels convert the energy in sunlight into energy that will power your home. This is basic efficiency. To use a concept that most consumers are familiar with, it’s analogous to fuel efficiency in a vehicle, or that rate at which fuel converts into miles traveled. Just like with a car, a solar panel with high efficiency levels is more favorable (although sunlight is free while gas prices are volatile!).

Second are the barriers to efficiency that residents experience due to the physical location and setup of their homes. Key among these barriers is usable roof space. Certain roof areas might be unsuitable for solar panels due to their size, the direction they face and the ability of the roof to support panels. Sources of shade, especially trees, can also affect usable roof space.

When homeowners compute all these factors, they’re left with a specific tract of their roof that is suitable for solar. In many cases, homeowners want even fewer panels than possible due to cost or aesthetic reasons.  In making the solar purchase decision, it’s in the best interest of any owner to ensure that they can deliver the most energy per square foot of solar panels installed. For space-constrained owners, this ensures they can achieve maximum output. For owners worried about aesthetics, they can generate the same amount of power in a smaller amount of space. Taking into account reliability factors from our last Solar Basics post, highly-efficient and reliable solar power systems allow homeowners to generate the most electricity over the lifetime of their system.

At SunPower, we aim for transparency. On our website, you can find listings of our residential panel offerings and how their efficiency levels stack up against the competition.  Here’s a video detailing how SunPower’s solar power systems are the most efficient in the world:

If you have any additional questions about solar panel efficiency or the efficiency of SunPower products, please post them to our Facebook page or leave them below.

As we approach the holiday season, we want to share a recent solar project that demonstrates SunPower’s commitment to the local communities in which we conduct business - all over the world. Last weekend, the SunPower Korea team, joined by Edison Solitec (SunPower Authorized Installer), SMA Solar Technology Korea, and Habitat for Humanity Korea installed a residential installation in Yangpyeong, South Korea to benefit a local family.
The installation was a donation from SunPower, working through the SunPower Foundation, to Habitat for Humanity Korea’s 2010 New Hope Project, which aims to provide low-income families with homes. In addition, Edison Solitec donated construction services in building the installation, and SMA Solar Technology Korea donated a portion of the inverters used for the system. The entire project was a truly global effort well-aligned with the spirit of Habitat of Humanity. The install was completed in two days and will provide electricity for eight households living in these two buildings.
As Gi-Nam Jeong, team manager of the Habitat for Humanity’s project in Yangpyeong, pointed out, “Energy bills account for a large portion of the budgets of low-income families, so we hope this unique solar gift will shine a light on the issue of affordable housing and encourage other businesses to support this worthy cause.” Check out the Habitat for Humanity site to learn how to support projects like this around the globe by donating your time or your money. See below for photos of our SunPower Korea team installing the SunPower solar panels, and stay tuned for more photos coming to our Facebook page: 

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.”

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.

Last September, the world’s largest solar-powered boat set sail from Monaco with the goal to travel around the world using only solar energy. The MS Tûranor PlanetSolar uses 537 square-meters of SunPower solar cells to power its engines, achieving an average speed of 7.5 knots. Nearly four months after the start of the solar boat exhibition, the crew on Tûranor PlanetSolar is now getting ready to start their crossing of the Pacific Ocean.



After successfully passing through the Panama Canal, the boat anchored in the Galápagos Islands for a week. The visit was coordinated with the WWF and demonstrated how renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic cells can co-exist with natural environments.

For the remainder of its around-the-world tour, the solar boat will follow an updated itinerary featuring major stopovers in Australia, Philippines (Manila), Singapore, Malaysia, India and Abu Dhabi. While in Southeast Asia, the boat will host local SunPower employees at its scheduled stops.



The world’s largest solar powered yacht is 31 meters long and 15 meters wide. A total of 38,000 SunPower high-efficiency photovoltaic cells provide the boat’s only fuel.



The MS Tûranor PlanetSolar began its journey when it disembarked from Monaco on September 27th 2010. The aims of the project include:

• Demonstrating the potential for renewable technologies such as SunPower solar cells
• Showing that the technology required for sustainability exists today
• Advancing scientific research and technological development associated with renewable energy
• Alerting the public to the importance of renewable energy
• Demonstrating that renewable technology solutions can integrate with local environments (including marine environments)

You can track PlanetSolar’s progress by liking SunPower on Facebook or following SunPower on Twitter. If you’re interested in more information on the project, please visit the PlanetSolar website http://www.planetsolar.org/be-part-of-it-logbook.en.php.

In the meantime, let us know what other transportation sources could use a renewable makeover. How would you change the way we get around?

Last week, we unveiled the SunPower Dealer Locator on our website. The dealer locator will help you find a dealer in your neighborhood from our best-in-class network of solar panel installers. All you have to do is access the dealer link and input your ZIP code and we’ll provide you with a listing of up to five local dealers in your area, complete with a business description and contact information. You can reach out to dealers directly to address your solar needs or you can continue to sign-up for a home solar evaluation on the SunPower website. You can access the dealer locator here.

The SunPower Dealer Locator represents another tool in our ongoing effort to provide homeowners with the most up-to-date information about solar panel installations and the solar sales process. If there’s any additional information that would be helpful for you, please share your thoughts in the comment section below.The pictures below detail how to access and use the dealer locator.



Click on the "Find a Dealer" link at the bottom of our home page . . .



Or on the "Find a Local Installer" link on the right-hand side of "For Homes" section. . .



Enter your ZIP code and you’ll get a list of dealers in your area.

As we kick off 2011, we wanted to reflect on the most rewarding part of the holiday season - joining together as a local community to give back. On December 11, 2010, 20 SunPower employees and their family members, including CEO Tom Werner, joined 700 volunteers and Turning Wheels for Kids to build bikes for kids and families who couldn’t otherwise afford a bike. Turning Wheels for Kids is a partner of the SunPower Foundation. At the Bike Build 2010 event, the entire group of volunteers built 2,400 bikes in 4.5 hours. That was quite a feat but don’t forget that means we also had to pump 4,800 tires in five hours! Thanks to an awesome group effort, Turning Wheels for Kids distributed these bikes to families throughout Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties in time for the holidays.

Once all the bikes were built, the crowd of volunteers watched on as Silicon Valley Executives, Turning Wheels for Kids staff members and BMX X Games gold medalists raced tricycles to raise funds for the organization. After addressing the volunteers, Tom even pedaled away against San Jose Sharkie and Carl Guardino, CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, in the tricycle race! Check out the video below for a 360° recap.

Turning Wheels for Kids was founded in 2003 and is a 100% volunteer-based organization. They raise funds all year through a variety of community events, and bring volunteers together to build and distribute bikes. Bike Build 2010 was also significant for producing the organization’s 10,000th bike since its founding. Check out the Turning Wheels for Kids site to learn how to support this great program by donating your time or your money.

Dr. Richard Swanson, Founder, President and Chief Technical Officer, SunPower, shares details about efficiency and system costs in part two of our solar panel efficiency video series

This week’s blog post is the second installment of our three-part series with solar expert Dr. Richard Swanson.

In this installment Dr. Swanson explains why solar panel efficiency is such an important variable when calculating ROI and the total cost of a solar installation.

As Dr. Swanson explains:

"Efficiency is probably the single most important number in determining the cost of the electricity you get from the solar system."

So please take a minute and learn about the "very dramatic effects" of efficiency, and why SunPower continually strives to improve solar panel efficiency.

In the final installment of this series next week, Dr. Swanson will walk you through SunPower’s history of solar cell efficiency and where it is headed in the future. If you crave more solar discussions, but just cannot wait a week, join our Facebook community at www.facebook.com/sunpower.

Today we’re profiling one of our favorite customers, the Blackwood family of New Jersey (see video above). Many SunPower customers have two drivers for making the switch to solar: it makes financial sense and helps the environment. The Blackwoods fully embody this line of thinking. They computed that the return on investment for ownership of their solar system over its lifetime would outperform the S&P 500 with average monthly savings of $200. They also invested in an electric-MINI Cooper to cut down on their carbon output, which combined with their SunPower solar system will enable them to reduce their CO2 output by 30,000 pounds per year! We’re proud to work with such informed, forward-thinking customers.

We talked with Phil Blackwood about his decision to purchase solar, the purchase process and what’s next in his ongoing quest towards energy efficiency:

SP: Why did you go solar?
PB: I have always been fascinated by solar power. When I talked to some people [with solar panels] I could see how happy they were with their systems, especially when the systems had already paid for themselves. I did some financial calculations and decided it was not only good for the environment but also a good investment. After we had our system installed I continued reading about the environmental benefits and found they are incredible.

SP: How was the solar the purchase process?
PB: The purchase process was simple. I visited our local dealer, really liked the people I met there, and pretty much decided on the spot to go ahead and get the system. After discussing it with my wife, we put down a deposit to get the panels ordered!

SP: How effective has your SunPower system been in reducing your monthly energy bills?
PB: My panels are producing exactly the amount of power I was expecting. My lowest electric bill has been $2. Typically I am saving more than $200 a month. The amount of power produced held up well as the days got shorter in the fall. They produce the most power in the summer - right when we need it to air condition the house.

SP: You’re obviously an eco-conscious consumer. Now that you’re armed with solar panels and an electric vehicle, what’s next?
PB: I held a big celebration to inaugurate my system, and later in the evening I started thinking, “Now what? Maybe I can paint my roof white!” I studied that and decided a better option was to install a radiant barrier on the lower side of the roof (inside the attic). It’s the same idea as white paint, but it’s on the inside instead of the outside. We had our radiant barrier installed in January. I’m also changing out all our light bulbs with LED and ESL bulbs. Since we have already done a lot of other energy efficiency work on the house, the one big thing remaining is to switch out our natural gas heating with a heat pump that runs off the electricity from our roof. And maybe expand our system. And maybe see if we can go from one electric car and one gas-powered car, to two all-electrics.

SP: What advice would you provide to a homeowner who is considering a solar system purchase?
PB: Go for it!

For today’s installment of Solar Basics, we’re going to discuss the importance of system reliability. SunPower solar technology delivers the highest reliability in the industry, so our dealers and salespeople talk a lot about reliability with prospective customers. But for customers who are comparing many different manufacturers at many different price points, they want to know how to measure reliability and why it matters. Those are very fair questions. Here’s one video from SunPower dealer Independent Power Systems of Boulder, CO, which demonstrates one type of reliability:

SUNPOWER HAILSTORM VIDEO:

Solar system reliability is best summed up by three metrics:

1.    The functional lifetime of the panels - All dealers should share the functional lifetime of the panels. This is the number of years the panels are expected to produce power (as set by the manufacturer).

2.     How well the panels perform over their lifetime - Just like a computer processor or a rechargeable battery, solar panel production degrades over time. Some panels maintain higher levels of production over the course of their lifetime.

3.     Energy production continuity - Since solar panels need to face the sun, they are subject to the elements. Over a 25-year lifetime, the panels are exposed to a lot of rainstorms, hailstorms, snowstorms and even the occasional hurricane. All of these factors represent risks that could knock a panel offline. All panels differ on how well they can handle extreme weather and maintain consistent uptime. Be sure to ask your dealer for more details.

Reliability is important when you take into consideration the total cost of ownership over the lifetime of your panels. You are not receiving the full value of your investment whenever your panels aren’t functioning properly. A standard 25-year warranty may not cover you for everything. In addition, imagine having to go through the hassles of dealing with the company to replace the panels and the loss of energy production - and, what if this happened every two years or less? The losses can add up quickly…

To make sure you are investing in a reliable solar energy system, we’d recommend you to get answers to the following questions before you buy:

1.      How much experience does the company have installing and manufacturing solar panels?
2.      How extensively do they test their panels?
3.      What certifications do they have? Do they settle for the industry standard or go beyond it?
4.      How much of the design and manufacturing process does the company control

At SunPower, we take reliability very seriously. Check out this video detailing how we build and test our solar panels to provide the highest level of reliability in the industry:

Today on the blog, we're unveiling a new series of ongoing posts called 'Solar Basics'. These posts are intended to answer frequent questions we receive about solar power, ranging from how solar works to some tips for finding the right solar solution for you. If you have any questions you’d like answered, please post them to our Facebook page or leave them in the blog comments for any Solar Basics posting.

At our recent dealer conference, one of our dealers said he gets a lot of customer questions about the terminology associated with the power and electricity output of SunPower solar systems. Specifically, customers are confused about when to use the term 'kilowatt' and when to use ‘kilowatt-hour’ (and what both terms even mean). So here’s a simple explanation you can use when talking with a potential dealer or explaining your system’s output.

Kilowatt (kW) is a measure of power. It’s important to understand that power is a rate statistic that measures the flow of energy conversion within a system (and not the energy itself). When describing a solar installation, kilowatts provide a measure of system capacity. For instance, a 10 kW system acting at full capacity will have 10 kW of energy flowing through at any singular moment.

Kilowatt-hour (kWh) is a measure of electricity. Unlike kilowatts, kilowatt-hour is not a rate statistic and is cumulative. In fact, kilowatt-hours represent the amount of power (in kilowatts) used over a period of time (hours).

One useful example is to think of a stomach, which is a kind of engine that we all have within our bodies. The stomach gets fuel in the form of food, which uses food energy (otherwise known as calories) to power the body. Imagine that you have a completely full stomach beginning the process of digestion. At full capacity, the stomach will digest food and power the body at a specific rate (say 120 calories per hour - a rate statistic similar to kilowatts). Over three hours, your somewhat-less-full stomach will have produced 360 calories of energy (a counting statistic similar to kilowatt-hour). That's enough to power an hour of moderate exercise, so there's a good excuse to burn those calories.

Now back to solar. Let’s say you have a guest over who wants to know how much energy you're producing with your SunPower rooftop installation. You have a 'perfect' 10 kW AC power system that includes all system and module level losses, meaning that at peak production the system is producing exactly 10 kW of power. From 10 am to 4 pm, your system is running at full capacity (a perfect solar day!) with peak sun hours of 5.8 hours. And thanks to SunPower’s market-leading panel efficiency, less roof space is required to capture the 10 kW system output and feed it into your home. To compute the energy output of those six hours, follow this simple calculation:

10 kW AC x 5.8 peak sun hours = 50 kWh from 10am to 4pm

That’s a lot of energy! We hope this helps clear up any confusion around kilowatts and kilowatt-hours. And if you’re a SunPower customer, be sure to check out our in-home monitoring tool to get up-to-date readings of how many kilowatt-hours your system is producing each day.

If you have any further questions or comments, please post them to our Facebook page or leave them below.

SunPower has been working closely with community members and local organizations in San Luis Obispo County, Calif. to raise awareness about solar power and gain support for SunPower’s proposed 250-megawatt California Valley Solar Ranch (CVSR) project. CVSR will likely begin construction later this year and, upon completion, will generate enough energy to power 100,000 homes, equivalent to almost every home in San Luis Obispo County.

To learn more about the California Valley Solar Ranch, check out the project’s website: http://www.californiavalleysolarranch.com/.

Our local efforts include working with community groups that embrace the adoption of renewable energy sources.  These groups are excited by the benefits of the CVSR, including decreased reliance on fossil fuels, reliable and renewable peak power supply, local job creation and added economic stimulus. They’ve also collaborated with SunPower to ensure the project minimizes impact to the local species and habitat. We’re very pleased to have support from local citizens, elected officials, SLO Green Build, local Chambers of Commerce, the Economic Vitality Corporation of SLO, the Union of Concerned Scientists and several local labor unions. These groups will play a vital role in making the California Valley Solar Ranch a reality.

Perhaps our most endearing allies in this effort are the students at Oceano Elementary School in Oceano, Calif. The students in Jim DeCecco’s 5th grade class have learned about solar technology, the dangers of greenhouse gas emissions and the value of switching to local, renewable sources of power. Several students expressed their enthusiasm for the California Valley Solar Ranch by writing letters of support. We’re very thankful for their support for this project, and more importantly, we’re thrilled by their interest in the energy future of their local community. As a sign of appreciation for all their support, SunPower presented the class with a solar-powered charger to power the electronics in their classroom. Below is a picture of this great group of young solar enthusiasts and a copy of one of their letters of support.


Oceano Elementary's 5th grade class gives solar a big thumbs up. 


Oceano Elementary students built solar home dioramas.


 A letter of support from an Oceano Elementary student.

 

 With Tax Day looming, let’s talk about one of the key benefits of owning a residential solar system: the Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC).  The Federal ITC for residential solar systems is an integral way for owners to lower the overall cost of the system and increase return on investment. In exchange for purchasing a qualifying residential solar system and making a commitment to renewable energy, homeowners can receive a tax credit against their federal tax liability.

When considering solar purchase options, it’s important to realize the Federal ITC can only be claimed by the owner of the solar system. Homeowners who engage in solar leases and power purchase agreements (PPAs) cannot claim the federal tax credit. In these instances, the credit goes to the leasing company, who may or may not pass it along to the owner via lower prices or additional services.

The Federal Solar ITC is calculated as 30% of qualifying costs, and SunPower has certified that our solar panels meet the criteria for qualifying solar property eligible for the Solar ITC.  In addition, many US states offer incentives that further reduce the cost of ownership of residential solar systems. The Federal credit was extended through 2016, whereas state benefits can and will expire at different times.

While SunPower certifies that our solar panels meet the definition of qualifying solar property, we cannot warranty a specific individual tax result or outcome.  The information provided above is for informational purposes only, and you should consult your individual tax advisor to determine how the Federal Solar ITC might benefit you given your individual facts and circumstances.

Want more information?
These qualified sources can provide more information about the ITC and other financial benefits (federal, state or municipal) associated with a solar purchase:

• Solar Energy Industry Association. As the national trade association for the solar energy industry, SEIA strives to educate the public on solar benefits and issues. Here’s a link to the SEIA page on the Federal ITC: http://www.seia.org/cs/federal_issues/solar_investment_tax_credit
• The Internal Revenue Service. The IRS website contains several resources about residential solar investment tax credits and other benefits associated with energy efficiency investments. Start with this ‘Tax Tip’: http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=237190,00.html
•  Local tax professionals. Tax professionals can provide in-depth guidance on residential solar purchases and Federal ITC eligibility. They are a great resource for any customer planning to purchase solar or other energy efficiency products.

 

On April 12, 2011, U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu and California Governor Jerry Brown joined SunPower and partner Flextronics to dedicate a new solar panel manufacturing facility in Milpitas, California. The new plant has created 100 jobs and will manufacture 75 megawatts solar panels per year.

Today, we would like to share a recent project where SunPower helped make an impact to the local community in Manila, Philippines. In early March, more than 150 SunPower employees including the management team joined Free Wheelchair Mission (FWM), a nonprofit organization providing wheelchairs for the impoverished disabled in developing nations, to assemble and distribute wheelchairs to beneficiaries. We assembled 1,100 wheelchairs and distributed them through health clinics, schools and disability centers locally. It was an extremely rewarding project as SunPower deeply cares about the people who live in the regions where we work, all around the world.


Shool kids in need receiving their wheelchairs

During this project, we learned that there are about 100 million people living in the developing countries suffer with walking disabilities, yet cannot afford a wheelchair. This is a lot of people… To date, FWM has provided more than 550,000 wheelchairs in 78 countries. Don Schoendorfer founded the nonprofit humanitarian organization in 2001. Don developed the original FWM wheelchair model to navigate both the uneven rural terrain and inaccessible urban areas common to underserved regions of the world. SunPower is proud to partner with FWM to expand its ability to provide additional wheelchairs in Philippines.  


SunPower's CEO, Tom Werner on behalf of the management team expressing gratitudes


SunPower is helping distribute wheelchairs and making an impact on people’s lives

At the end of the project, we invited everyone including some beneficiaries to our fabrication facility in Manila for a special event. We also had a friendly competition with employees to build wheelchairs as a team.

It was incredible to be a part of an activity that so dramatically changed the life lives of so many individuals in such a personal way – mobility is a right that so many of us so often take for granted. Imagine if you were isolated to a bed and room indoors and unable to enjoy the outdoors safely? Imagine if your family and friends had to carry you to make sure that you were safe from disease and danger – on a daily basis? To be able to share our community members’ joy as many sat in a wheelchair for the first time, and to connect our employees to such an important cause, was an incredible gift and opportunity.


A young child with his new wheelchair

You can learn more about Free Wheelchair Mission by clicking here.

SunPower continues to change the way the world is powered…  On April 21st 2011, SunPower, Tucson Water Department and Trico Electric dedicated a 1-MW ground mounted solar power system in Tucson, Arizona. The project doubles the solar power system capacity used by the city. This means Tucson Water is now enjoying a reduction in its monthly electricity costs. And, this also means the agency is able to reduce its CO2 emissions annually by more than 1,300 tons; equivalent to removing 240 cars from the road each year!  SunPower is proud to be a part of Tucson Water’s commitment to energy conservation and environmental protection efforts.

Meeting renewable energy goals while the demand for energy is high or growing is not easy for agencies like Tucson Water Department. The agency provides services to approximately 80 percent of the population in the Tucson metropolitan area. Processing, pumping and storing the water needed for approximately 775,000 residents require a substantial amount of electricity. With the installation of a SunPower Serengeti T0 Tracking solar power system the agency will reliably receive clean energy for years to come.

The installation is located on city-owned land located within Tucson Water Department’s underground water storage and recovery facility, approximately 20 miles south of downtown Tucson. The SunPower team was there for the dedication. Today, we’d like to share some photos our team took from the dedication. Enjoy!

If you are interested in more business and government customer success stories, check out our website.

 

Let’s say you’re interested in making a rooftop solar panel purchase, you’ve researched your options on the internet and maybe even talked with a friend or neighbor with solar to learn about their experience. As a next step, you’ve created a short list of solar manufacturers and installers and reached out to them for quotes. Now you have installers coming out to your house to conduct a site assessment and walk through of your solar panel options. 

With more homeowners switching to solar energy each day, the number of companies offering solar installation services is also on the rise.  It’s important that you ensure you’re getting the best value for your investment, but that you’re also dealing with a reputable installer who boasts a strong service record. Don’t worry about prying for information about the solar installer’s credentials and the company’s performance. Remember that you are in charge. After all, you’re the one making a major investment. So here are the five main questions you should ask your potential installer to ensure you are making the right decision:

1. How much experience does your company have?

2. What licenses and insurance does your company possess?

Another way to evaluate a company’s level of experience in solar is by the licenses and certification the company and its staff have attained. Make sure you choose an installer that has the required local and state licenses (such as solar, electric and general contractors licensing). The best solar installers have staff members that are certified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP).

3. Is your company accredited by the Better Business Bureau?

If a business has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau, it means the BBB has determined that the business meets accreditation standards which include a commitment to make a good faith effort to resolve any consumer complaints.

4. Will your company handle all of the work required?

Some installers hire sub-contractors to complete certain parts of the job, making it difficult to track accountability. Simplify the process and have peace of mind by choosing a company that can manage your project from start to finish, including design, installation and permitting and system maintenance.

5. Can you please provide me with customer references?

Your best way to screen a contractor is to ask them to provide two to three references. Contact these customers to make sure they are happy with the work performed. 

By selecting a SunPower dealer for your solar installation you can rest assured knowing that your dealer has undergone the most rigorous training in the industry. SunPower dealers are carefully selected to ensure they share SunPower’s commitment to quality and customer service, so that you get the highest return on your investment. Visit our website for more about the SunPower dealer network or to get a quote from a SunPower installer.

If you have any other questions worth asking your installer, please share them on our Facebook wall.  

This week in Solar Basics we’re talking about the importance of solar panel performance guarantees and how consumers can know that they’re receiving the most value from their solar panel purchase.

Solar panel performance can be measured in many ways, some of which we covered in the earlier post on reliability. For example, the ability for panels to stay online and functional throughout various external conditions (what we call ‘energy production continuity’) is one valuable metric for measuring the overall performance of a system. But on a more general level, strong performance can be expressed by a panel maximizing its energy output (and thus energy savings) over its lifetime.  Some panel manufacturers like SunPower take steps to guarantee that customers reach an expected level of output by providing long-term warranties and additional services. Warranty packages lessen the investment risk for consumers by fixing or replacing malfunctioning equipment and providing benefits to consumers that make up for lost power production.

If you are making a solar purchase decision, work with your dealer and the solar panel manufacturer to obtain information about the following areas:

Service warranties – Service warranties generally ensure that dealers or manufacturers will correct defects in materials and/or workmanship such as roof leaks (from installation), loose modules, wire faults and other issues. SunPower provides a 10-year service warranty on materials and workmanship.

Power warranties – Power warranties generally ensure that solar panels will produce a certain level of minimum output over a certain number of years or the manufacturer will fix/replace the panels, or provide compensation to the homeowner equal to the power shortfall.  In addition, SunPower offers an industry-leading power warranty of 25 years, ensuring that panels will produce up to 80% of their expected minimum peak power output or SunPower will address the shortfall.

Click to find more information SunPower service and product warranties. 

Monitoring services – Many customers take a hands-on approach when following their system output. Monitoring services allow users to track their energy production and their overall environmental impact. With monitoring services, customers can also monitor the energy usage for the entire building. SunPower provides monitoring services on an in-home display, online or through an iPhone application. We also offer an additional service whereby dealers are alerted when systems don’t meet expected performance standards, saving time and money for the customer.

Click to learn more about SunPower monitoring services.

At SunPower, we want our customers to have the peace of mind that they are guaranteed a certain level of performance over the lifetime of their solar installation.

Check out this video about SunPower’s guaranteed performance:

On May 25^th, 2011, San Francisco Interim Mayor Edwin Lee and Supervisor David Chiu joined One Atmosphere, Luminalt and SunPower to dedicate a 28-kilowatt AC SunPower solar rooftop system at Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center in San Francisco. With collective efforts from artists, businesses, environmentalists, government workers and more than 100 community volunteers, the new 28 kWh AC SunPower system provides a great example of how government, local business, artists, and the community can come together to accomplish something truly meaningful.

This solar installation will not only reduce Tel-Hi Neighborhood Center’s energy consumption by more than 85% but also offer the opportunity to educate children and others on the benefits of solar energy through an interpretive greenhouse.

Check out the interview below with Nestor Fernandez, the Executive Director of Tel-Hi Neighborhood Center, to find out why he believes this green initiative is a big step for the entire community.

If you’d like to receive latest solar PV technology updates, please join the discussion on our Facebook community or follow us on Twitter (@SunPower).

 

(And read about them soon in the next edition of Guinness World Records…!)

For years, SunPower has focused research and development efforts on offering the most efficient solar cells and panels on the market. As a result, SunPower solar panels allow customers to take best advantage of limited roof or ground space to produce significantly more electricity, and reap significantly more savings. Do you think we’re satisfied?

Well… records are meant to be broken, even our own. We are proud to introduce the E20 Series of solar panels, SunPower’s newest record breaking solar technology, and a new industry benchmark. The new E20 Series sets a new standard for solar, achieving record panel efficiencies of 20 percent or more.

The efficiency of the E20 has been verified by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and none other than Guinness World Records! We’re very proud to receive our certification of the record from Guinness at a ceremony in Germany.

Following are some of the features of the E20 solar panel:

• SunPower Maxeon™ solar cell technology. Our revolutionary patented, all-back contact, 22.4 percent efficient SunPower Maxeon solar cell technology currently holds its own world record in efficiency for mass-produced cells. As a result, SunPower solar panels deliver up to 50 percent more energy than conventional panels.
• Anti-reflective coating to increase sunlight absorption. E20 panels capture more light to further maximize solar power generated.
• Full compatibility with the most efficient inverters. Inverters convert direct current (DC) electricity from a solar system into alternating current (AC). E20 panels can be used with inverters that require transformers, which are common in North America, as well as the more efficient transformer-less inverters that are now popular in Europe.

What does all this mean to our prospective customers? The key value proposition of the E20, as well as our existing E19 and E18 solar panels, is to generate the greatest energy savings for our customers. The E20 Series is available in Europe and Australia this year, and will come to North America and Asia in early 2012.

Check out this video about SunPower E20 Solar Panel.

One of the most frequently asked questions by people researching a solar power system for their home or business is the difference between panel and cell efficiency, both which work to determine the energy production and cost saving benefits of a system.

In the solar industry, efficiency refers to the percentage of sunlight energy hitting a cell or panel that is converted into electricity. SunPower’s world-record efficiency Maxeon cells, for example, achieve efficiencies of 22.4%, which means they convert 22.4% of the sunlight that hits them into electricity. Solar technology on the market today is available in a range of efficiencies, from about 10% in the lowest efficiency thin film solar panels to SunPower’s high efficiency products, which are two to four times more efficient than thin film and up to 50% more efficient than standard efficiency solar technology.

The efficiency of a panel is always lower than the efficiency of the solar cells used in that panel. This is primarily because glass is used to cover and protect the cells in the panel, and glass reflects light, preventing some of the sunlight from reaching the cells.

The example below shows the mathematical formulas for determining how 22.2% efficient cells produce a 20.9% efficient panel:

• If, by shining 1,000 Watts of light directly onto a number of cells, you generate 222 Watts of electricity, then you can measure the efficiency of the cells to be 22.2%.The formula is 222/1,000 = 22.2%.
   
• Now, what if those 22.2% efficient cells were used in the manufacture of a solar panel, with glass placed over the top of them? If you then exposed that panel to 1,000 Watts of light, approximately 60 Watts of the light will be reflected by the glass, and only 940 Watts of light energy will hit the cells. Since the cells receive less light, they will produce less electricity. This is the formula for calculating how many Watts the panel will produce: 940 Watts x 22.4% = 209 Watts. Applying the formula in the previous example (209/1,000 = 20.9%), you can determine that the panel is 20.9% efficient.

Panel construction, shading, temperature, mounting and positioning are all factors that affect the amount of power generated by an installed solar power system, but high solar cell efficiency helps ensure that the number of kilowatt hours generated by a system is maximized, maximizing the cost savings realized by the system owner.

Here is an informative interview with SunPower’s founder and president emeritus Dr. Richard Swanson in which he explains SunPower Maxeon solar cell technology.

If you have any additional questions about solar panel or cell efficiency, please post them to our Facebook page or leave them below.

You may have already seen the adventures of Marty the Zebra, Alex the Lion, Gloria the Hippo and Melman the Giraffe in the Madagascar movies. A series of events led these animals from New York to Madagascar. Of course, they thought they were in San Diego until they were helpfully reminded of their true location when they saw lemurs, one of Madagascar’s most well known residents!

In April 2011, a SunPower team along with representatives from the Vote Solar Initiative and other groups from the Bay Area’s renewable energy industry had the pleasure of visiting the island located 200 miles off the east coast of Africa for a “greening” initiative led by Dr. Brian Fisher, the Chairman of the California Academy of Sciences’ entomology department. 

For almost a decade, Dr. Fisher has been traveling from San Francisco to Madagascar, an island that comprises one of the most diverse, unique, and endangered biological hotspots on the planet. Unfortunately, more than 90 percent of the country’s rich natural ecology is already lost to habitat destruction. Dr. Fisher and his team at the Madagascar Biodiversity Center are in a race against time to study and preserve what still remains.

The problem is deforestation. Madagascar’s spiny forest, home to unique species such as: tortoises, mongooses, and the famous lemurs, is being destroyed at an astonishing rate. This is because Madagascar’s local communities rely on the slow-growing forest to supply fuel for cooking as reliable gas and electric infrastructures are virtually non-existent in Madagascar - one of the poorest countries in the world. The villages’ meager daily reliance on the forest as an energy source is the single greatest threat to this fragile ecosystem.

The good news is Dr. Fisher’s efforts have already started to pay off. Our team went to the island on a mission to install solar panels on Madagascar Biodiversity Center, which is located in the capital city of Antananarivo. Dr. Fisher serves as Executive Director of the center. Hand in hand, the team installed a 7.8 kilowatt SunPower system. The system will provide enough reliable electricity to meet 100 percent of the Center’s power needs for education and research. Before solar, the Center would have to stop research work during the frequent and often unexpected power outages. In addition, much of the Center’s sensitive equipment was damaged by the intermittent power and surges. The solar system also is a symbolic step towards a green fossil free fuel future for Madagascar. By virtually eliminating the facility’s dependence on fossil fuel-based generation from the local utilities, the clean energy system advances the Center’s larger environmental mission.

Today the center is abuzz with students conducting uninterrupted research with a strengthened focus on protecting their country’s rich biological heritage. We are honored to be part of such an initiative. Check out our photos of the Madagascar Biodiversity Center.

We encourage you to visit the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco to learn more about Dr. Fisher’s work and get a more in depth perspective on the importance of Madagascar and the Rainforests of the World. We hope you will join us in supporting this great organization locally and globally. We’ll keep you updated on our efforts. And please let us know if you have questions or ideas!
 

If you would like to learn more about this project please leave questions here or on our Facebook wall.

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.

In this final installment of our solar panel efficiency series, Dr. Richard Swanson, Founder, President and Chief Technical Officer, SunPower, takes us through the history of solar panel efficiency and what direction it will take in the future.

As Dr. Swanson wraps up this efficiency series, we will explore SunPower’s past and peek into what the future has in store for SunPower and solar panel efficiency. After all, SunPower announced last month it had established the new world record at 24.2% solar cell efficiency: http://bit.ly/anEdic.

Among the areas discussed are the maximum possible efficiency level of a silicon solar cell and SunPower’s current focus on lowering the production costs of high-efficiency cells.

If you crave more solar discussions about SunPower, or would like to learn more about solar panel efficiency, join the conversation on our Facebook community at www.facebook.com/sunpower.

As we close out 2010 we would like to thank all of you for a great, memorable year. We spent the past year building communities on Facebook, Twitter and here on this blog and we’re grateful for such a responsive, receptive audience to help us change the way the world is powered.

Back in April, we launched our Facebook page and Twitter account as the main channels to distribute solar information and communicate directly with SunPower customers and solar enthusiasts. Starting with 0 fans and followers, we’ve reached 4,275 fans on Facebook and 842 followers on Twitter in a mere eight months. Best of all, we’ve been blown away by how much information you have to share and your passion for solar. We started with a goal of creating informative, relevant conversations and to that end, you’ve made our jobs very easy. With your support, we’ve educated even more people on the key role of solar in our sustainable future. Most importantly, you have shown us how much you love your SunPower systems and given us crucial feedback on what you would love to see more of from SunPower.

We want to thank all of you for making this happen and we’ll continue to provide valuable information, updates on community installations, and of course, fun solar facts! Also, let us know what you would like to hear about more in 2011 from us by simply writing on our Facebook wall.

Finally, we’d like to thank those of you who joined us on Facebook to support and spread the word about the Make an Impact campaign. Because of your efforts, and on your behalf, we have donated $8,500 to the SunPower Foundation to support non-profit solar projects across the globe. Thank you to the 3,570 of you who liked SunPower on Facebook and made your impact in spreading solar.

From all of us at the SunPower social media team, have a happy holiday season and best wishes for the New Year!

Sincerely,
The SunPower Social Media Team
(Belis, Matt, Joanne, Kevin & Leslie)

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.

• SunPower has contracted with PG&E to build the 250-megawatt California Valley Solar Ranch in San Luis Obispo County. The signing of this milestone contract three years ago signified the opening of the first market for central station solar power plants in the world. In addition to building a plant that will generate enough power for about 100,000 homes, SunPower will be creating up to 350 construction jobs and placing about 70% of the 4,700-acre project area under permanent protection to meet conservation objectives for a range of species.
• For SCE, SunPower will build solar power plants totaling 711 megawatts in California’s Central Valley, providing the equivalent power required for more than 460,000 homes. These plants are notable for the fact that they are cost competitive with a new natural gas power plant – a key milestone.
• Also for SCE, SunPower has an agreement to supply 200 megawatts of solar technology for SCE to build and own as a distributed power plant on large warehouse rooftops.
• Modesto Irrigation District is a publicly-owned utility for which SunPower is developing a 25-megawatt power plant. Solar PV can be sited anywhere and is modular, providing substantial flexibility to utility customers to meet the growing RPS requirements over time within their transmission constraints, cost-effectively.

• 25-megawatt DeSoto Solar Energy Center, Florida (Florida Power & Light)
• 20-megawatt Copper Crossing, Arizona (Iberdrola Renewables / Salt River Project)
• 10-megawatt Dover SUN Park, Delaware (LS Power / City of Dover Municipal Utility)
• 11-megawatt supply agreement with Tucson Electric Power, Arizona
• 10-megawatt Space Coast Next Generation Solar Energy Center, Florida (Florida Power & Light)
• 8-megawatt Exelon City Solar, Illinois (Exelon)
• 5-megawatt Murfreesboro Solar Project, North Carolina (Duke Energy Services / GreenCo Solutions and North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation)
• 5-megawatt Air Force Academy system, Colorado (Colorado Springs Utility)
• 5-megawatt Johnson Matthey system, New Jersey (Constellation Energy)
• 5-megawatt Kalaeola system, Hawaii (HECO)
• 1-megawatt Shelby Solar Project, North Carolina (Duke Energy)

SunPower is creating thousands of jobs and over $1 billion in positive economic impact in California through our residential, commercial, public agency and power plant businesses. Here is a map Here is a map indicating the locations of our large solar installations and SunPower dealers, as well as some details on SunPower’s impact to date.

Today on the blog, we're unveiling a new series of ongoing posts called 'Solar Basics'. These posts are intended to answer frequent questions we receive about solar power, ranging from how solar works to some tips for finding the right solar solution for you. If you have any questions you’d like answered, please post them to our Facebook page or leave them in the blog comments for any Solar Basics posting.

Kilowatt (kW) is a measure of power. It’s important to understand that power is a rate statistic that measures the flow of energy conversion within a system (and not the energy itself). When describing a solar installation, kilowatts provide a measure of system capacity. For instance, a 10 kW system acting at full capacity will have 10 kW of energy flowing through at any singular moment.

Kilowatt-hour (kWh) is a measure of electricity. Unlike kilowatts, kilowatt-hour is not a rate statistic and is cumulative. In fact, kilowatt-hours represent the amount of power (in kilowatts) used over a period of time (hours).

Now back to solar. Let’s say you have a guest over who wants to know how much energy you're producing with your SunPower rooftop installation. You have a 'perfect' 10 kW AC power system that includes all system and module level losses, meaning that at peak production the system is producing exactly 10 kW of power. From 10 am to 4 pm, your system is running at full capacity (a perfect solar day!) with peak sun hours of 5.8 hours. And thanks to SunPower’s market-leading panel efficiency, less roof space is required to capture the 10 kW system output and feed it into your home. To compute the energy output of those six hours, follow this simple calculation:

10 kW AC x 5.8 peak sun hours = 50 kWh from 10am to 4pm

That’s a lot of energy! We hope this helps clear up any confusion around kilowatts and kilowatt-hours. And if you’re a SunPower customer, be sure to check out our in-home monitoring tool to get up-to-date readings of how many kilowatt-hours your system is producing each day.

If you have any further questions or comments, please post them to our Facebook page or leave them below.

Solar is creating much-needed jobs today.

The 250-megawatt California Valley Solar Ranch (CVSR) is one solar project under construction that is putting about 350 people to work. It has created opportunities to move off unemployment, and has allowed local electricians, carpenters and iron workers to remain close to their families rather than traveling away from home in search of work. I urge you to view this video featuring some of these individuals, and share it with friends, colleagues and family.



In addition to the jobs created by CVSR, the project is expected to:

• Inject $315 million into the local economy in San Luis Obispo County, California
• Generate enough clean, renewable power for about 100,000 homes
• Protect and conserve more than 12,000 acres of land

The US solar industry is estimated to employ more than 100,000 people today. The number of solar jobs has grown steadily for several years, while other industries have reduced their numbers.

Solar works for America.

To join the conversation around solar job creation, comment below.