Looking for guidance on which system to go with SunPower or SolarWorld

[mdguy35]

So far we have received quotes from three different installers in our area and should be getting one more this weekend. All of them are relatively close in price, the two systems we have narrowed it down to so far are below.

SolarWorld:
11.925 kwh system
45 265 Watt panels
2 Solar Edge Inverters

Estimated kwh produced per year- 15,408

Price before Tax Credits/Grants - $3.06 per watt
Price after Tax Credits/Grants - $2.05 per watt

SunPower
13.407 kwh system
41 327 Watt panels
2 SunPower Inverters

Estimated kwh produced per year - 18,527

Price before Tax Credits/Grants/Friends and Family Rebate - $3.86 per watt
Price after Tax Credits/Grants/Friends and Family Rebate - $2.40 per watt

Compared to other markets and the Maryland market how does the cost per watt look to others? Any suggestions or guidance others may have is greatly appreciated.

[Naptown]

So far we have received quotes from three different installers in our area and should be getting one more this weekend. All of them are relatively close in price, the two systems we have narrowed it down to so far are below.

SolarWorld:
11.925 kwh system
45 265 Watt panels
2 Solar Edge Inverters

Estimated kwh produced per year- 15,408

Price before Tax Credits/Grants - $3.06 per watt
Price after Tax Credits/Grants - $2.05 per watt

SunPower
13.407 kwh system
41 327 Watt panels
2 SunPower Inverters

Estimated kwh produced per year - 18,527

Price before Tax Credits/Grants/Friends and Family Rebate - $3.86 per watt
Price after Tax Credits/Grants/Friends and Family Rebate - $2.40 per watt

Compared to other markets and the Maryland market how does the cost per watt look to others? Any suggestions or guidance others may have is greatly appreciated.

Both seem a bit high
I can do the sunpower for $3.74 a watt
And 45 Suniva 270's with solar edge for 2.89 a watt
Depending on the county you live in it could be a bit less

[grkmec]

I wish I was in Maryland! Those kind of prices are unheard of in CT as pricing is about 50-75c higher. I am getting a 17kw job done at $3.25 watt (Phono 260w / Solar Edge) and it was a knock down, drag out fight between bids to get that price. My lowest bid was actually $3.07 but it was from a new company looking for jobs...

[mdguy35]

That is good to know, I wasn't sure what other states costs look like.

We are not sure which way we are going to go (meeting with Rich on saturday ) but we are leaning towards the system that provides the most energy.

Our usage right now is about 34,000 kwh a year so anything we can do to get close to 50% or over is important to us.

In the sumer we average just over 2,000 kwh and then this winter we went up to 4,000 kwh and then in January with the really cold weather we hit 7,000 kwh. We just found out that one of the heat pumps in the house wasn't working correctly and was basically running non stop for several weeks which shows up in the majority of our usage is off-peak according to BGE.

We have only lived in the house 9 months so we are still learning how this house cools/heats but at our current usage levels anything we can do to supply 50% or more of our energy via solar is important.

[J.P.M.]

That is good to know, I wasn't sure what other states costs look like.

We are not sure which way we are going to go (meeting with Rich on saturday ) but we are leaning towards the system that provides the most energy.

Our usage right now is about 34,000 kwh a year so anything we can do to get close to 50% or over is important to us.

In the sumer we average just over 2,000 kwh and then this winter we went up to 4,000 kwh and then in January with the really cold weather we hit 7,000 kwh. We just found out that one of the heat pumps in the house wasn't working correctly and was basically running non stop for several weeks which shows up in the majority of our usage is off-peak according to BGE.

We have only lived in the house 9 months so we are still learning how this house cools/heats but at our current usage levels anything we can do to supply 50% or more of our energy via solar is important.

Absolutely none of my business, but 34,000 kw hrs. /yr. usage may not be a good # to size a system on given it sounds like it included a system malfunction. Even so, I'd seriously consider an examination of energy use. I'd have a hard time believing I couldn't do a whole lot more cost effective stuff to reduce a horrendous electric bill before adding solar. I'd also suggest that despite your quotes so far, the Sunpower stuff might not deliver much, or for that matter much of any additional yearly output per installed D.C. kW., but I'm unfamiliar w/ your area. From those quotes however, unless the Sunpower stuff is delivering an additional 16+ % output per D.C. kW, which I really doubt is anywhere near likely, and all else being equal, your better off with the Solar World based on the net $/W cost after credits/rebates alone.
Still, it's about most bang for the buck, not low buck. Other things that may help make that Sunpower $$ premium a bit less onerous are a bit more difficult to quantify - warranty, appearance, bragging rights etc., but perhaps not quite as important as some folks would like to talk you into. Only you can decide. Caveat Emptor. And perhaps the most important intangible - the vendor and their experience and reputation - the one place not to cheap out on and unfortunately the hardest to quantify and more unfortunately still - the easiest place to get screwed.
If you are cramped for space, Sunpower may have an advantage, but so can conservation by reducing a large load and thus reducing a system size to the point where a more cost effective panel that requires more area to produce the same output but for less up front $$'s is back on the table, with perhaps the added benefit this time for fewer total $$'s than before the load reduction.

Caveat Emptor.

FWIW.

[J.P.M.]

Both seem a bit high
I can do the sunpower for $3.74 a watt
And 45 Suniva 270's with solar edge for 2.89 a watt
Depending on the county you live in it could be a bit less

I thought vendors couldn't solicit on this forum.

[russ]

I thought vendors couldn't solicit on this forum.

Naptown is providing a comparison with numbers he knows well. What better reference for someone?

[Naptown]

I thought vendors couldn't solicit on this forum.

He had actually contacted us 10 days prior to joining here. I have an appointment scheduled prior to his joining also.

[J.P.M.]

he had actually contacted us 10 days prior to joining here. I have an appointment scheduled prior to his joining also.

r.u.a.

J.p.m.

[Naptown]

r.u.a.

J.p.m.

Huh? I dont do text shorthand

[J.P.M.]

Huh? I dont do text shorthand

R = Read
U = Understood
A = Acknowledged

Sort of a paraphrase of one meaning of how I learned HUA !! a long time ago : Heard, Understood, Acknowledged. (SIR !)

I apologize for the arrogance of my assumption.

J.P.M.

[mdguy35]

Absolutely none of my business, but 34,000 kw hrs. /yr. usage may not be a good # to size a system on given it sounds like it included a system malfunction. Even so, I'd seriously consider an examination of energy use.

You are right and we are looking to have an energy audit done to see what we can do to help cut back on electricity usage/costs. We are planning on replacing at least one if not two of the three heat pumps we have. One of them is from the late 90's so we expect some improvements there.

Even if we were to reduce our usage by 12 kwh a year the systems we are looking at to me still feel adequately sized.

I appreciate your thoughts and it has given me some to think about.

[J.P.M.]

You are right and we are looking to have an energy audit done to see what we can do to help cut back on electricity usage/costs. We are planning on replacing at least one if not two of the three heat pumps we have. One of them is from the late 90's so we expect some improvements there.

Even if we were to reduce our usage by 12 kwh a year the systems we are looking at to me still feel adequately sized.

I appreciate your thoughts and it has given me some to think about.

R.U.A.

Respectfully suggest you take your time and don't feel rushed.

[bcroe]

Heat pump

Our usage right now is about 34,000 kwh a year so anything we can do
to get close to 50% or over is important to us.

In the summer we average just over 2,000 kwh and then this winter we went up to 4,000 kwh
and then in January with the really cold weather we hit 7,000 kwh. We just found out that one
of the heat pumps in the house wasn't working correctly and was basically running non stop for
several weeks which shows up in the majority of our usage is off-peak according to BGE.

We have only lived in the house 9 months so we are still learning how this house cools/heats
but at our current usage levels anything we can do to supply 50% or more of our energy via
solar is important.

Get the pump fixed. I am guessing, your heat pumps are air to air. If so, you could make a
huge energy reduction heating & cooling with a late model geo thermal (buried heat sink) heat
pump. Ought to pay off far faster than solar, though a much smaller solar system could still
be used. Bruce Roe

[Ian S]

I'd also suggest that despite your quotes so far, the Sunpower stuff might not deliver much, or for that matter much of any additional yearly output per installed D.C. kW., but I'm unfamiliar w/ your area. From those quotes however, unless the Sunpower stuff is delivering an additional 16+ % output per D.C. kW, which I really doubt is anywhere near likely, and all else being equal, your better off with the Solar World based on the net $/W cost after credits/rebates alone.

The Suniva quote is even more attractive than the Solar World IMHO.