Multiple bids ready to pull the trigger

[J.P.M.]

Did they include the actual optimizers in the quote as well, I didn't see it listed.

There's nothing wrong with the 245 panels but you will need a lot more, which you said you can't fit. It will also take a lot more optimizers so I'm a little surprised at their price.

And if you are now considering 245W panels, then you can find a lot of other options that will be less expensive but still good from other manufacturers. The big advantage that SunPower has is that they have high wattage panels (327w, 345w) in the same size as other manufacturers 250w or 275w panels.

The Sunpower advantage is power density. They cram more Watts into the same square area (per ft^2,m^2, etc) than other panels. If you 're cramped for space and can't conserve more, Sunpower is a choice, although probably not as cost effective as either more conservation or less expensive but similarly performing panels in terms of annual output and utility cost savings. The less expensive panels from other manufacturers, (~15%-20% or so % less, BTW) just require more real estate.

The higher Sunpower Wattage in the 327's may be partly due to attempts to fit into a common 1.64 m^ panel size similar to many other panels.

I haven't checked, but the 245's and 327's probably have about the same power density (maybe the 327's are a bit better in that respect). That is, similar size (Wattage) systems will probably take about the same total area, 245 or 327 panels. The 245's are probably something like 75% as large physically as the 327's. You'll need more of them for the same system (Wattage) size. Compare $$'s /Watt, not price/panel.