Quote for SunPower system - Good Price

[Volusiano]

I'm more inclined with SunPower over Canadian Solar panels given the fact that SunPower is guaranteeing 87% after 25 years vs the 80% from Canadian Solar. I see this is the 'premium' for going SunPower. However, I came to this board to give myself a more objective perspective from other owners.

Don't forget that your analysis here is only true if you start out with the same size for both systems. However, don't forget that for the premium price you'd have to pay for a SunPower system, you can get a bigger system with the Canadian Solar option UP FRONT that can probably deliver more energy upfront, and probably more energy over the 25 year span combined, despite the fact that the Canadian Solar panels degrade a little bit faster than the SunPower panels.

It's very simple to plug all the numbers into a spreadsheet with the degradation factored in and see how the 2 different options fare against each other. The math won't lie.

[russ]

Canadian Solar - Aren't they the ones that had the snail trail problem?

[silversaver]

Canadian Solar - Aren't they the ones that had the snail trail problem?

very rare

http://www.onlinetes.com/tes0512-solar-industry-snail-trail.aspx

[russ]

very rare

http://www.onlinetes.com/tes0512-sol...ail-trail.aspx

Good article from Canadian Solar - Is there any independent verification of this anyone knows of?

[silversaver]

double post

[J.P.M.]

Thank you for the reply. This is helpful. I spoke to my SunPower rep again and he clarified that the quote is based on zeroing out with bill averaging $200/month via a TOU plan. If I wanted to match my electrical usage to a system, I would need closer to 21 E20/327 panels which is would be a 6.87kw (DC) system for price of $31,335. (Not sure if it matters, but the monitoring system is included with the install.)

The long term expectation is that we're not moving and but if a move happens, then home becomes a rental. As for as conservation, we've pretty much maximized this area. We have enough saved to purchase the system outright and in looking at the long term value, it seems logical to purchase a PV system. After fed rebates, I assume that a system could run $21K. Divided by 20 yrs or 240 months, I basically prepay electricity for about $88.00 per month vs the $200 average I pay today (not factoring in SCE rate hikes)

I'm more inclined with SunPower over Canadian Solar panels given the fact that SunPower is guaranteeing 87% after 25 years vs the 80% from Canadian Solar. I see this is the 'premium' for going SunPower. However, I came to this board to give myself a more objective perspective from other owners.

Your welcome.

1.) Question everything everyone says, especially sales reps - they have skin in the game and may not be as unbiased as what you may find here. Question everything everyone says, including me.
2.) I'd like to reiterate : zeroing out you bill MAY not be the most cost effective thing you can do. You're considering spending a fair sum of $$. I'd suggest some time spent learning about the time value of money and comparing alternatives from an investment standpoint can be useful.
3.) There are no guarantees on the future, but know this: the idea that electric rates in general and in So. CA in particular have gone up at astronomical rates over the long term is fiction and B.S. Try about 2-4%/yr. compounded annually. Anyway, AB 327 will probably change rate structures making rate histories just that - histories - more unreliable as a predictor than they were to begin with.
4.) Real rough #'s: You should be able to shop around and get a good system - Canadian Solar/LG/Kyocera/etc. of about 6kW or so and replace about 80% or so of your load for something like $21-22K +/- a bit. Others have done it. Snoop around. your remaining bill ought to be something like $300-350/yr. if your #'s are close to reality. Or, you can probably replace 100+% of your 10,800 kWhrs/hr. with a 7.5 kw system. for about $26-27K. All prices before tax credits/rebates. Doing a little back of the envelope math, the 100% system of 7.5 kW will save you about $325/yr. more than the 6 kW system ((10,800-8640) X ~$.15, tier 1 = $324) and cost about $5,000 more, or about $3500 more after fed. tax credit. It can and probably is a lot more complicated than that, but that's a start. Like Volusiano wrote, the math doesn't lie. Just be careful - mathematicians can and sometimes do.
5.) Continuing about guarantees on the future: Vendors and others speak of performance guarantees as if the future was already here. No one knows what's going to happen in the future. Read the fine print on guarantees , really read it in a dispassionate way, thinking like the manufacturer because that's what you'll get if you need to make a claim. Sunpower warranties are probably better than a lot of others - not that the others are bad. As for being around in 20 yrs. - no guarantees. I keep in mind that outfits like LG and Kyocera have pretty deep pockets, have been around a long time and are more diversified than others - Sunpower included, which BTW was hardly a blip on the financial radar until mostly bought by some French outfit.

Take you time, get quotes, study, read, ask questions. You have time.

Addendum: Don't forget to get your roof under the panels inspected/serviced. It's cheap insurance.