I'm in San Diego coastal area and am looking for a roughly 6.6 kW DC system. The two best bids that I have found are these two options (LG AC modules or Sunpower 327). The LG system consists of 22 AC modules with built in microinverters and runs $3.61 /watt DC. The sunpower is a slightly smaller system at 5,886 watts, 18 of the 327 watt panels and an SMA 6000 inverter. Price is $4.38 /watt DC.
I like the Sunpower panels in terms of quality and warranty. They look like they will last a lifetime with little degradation. Of course it comes at a price which I'm not sure really pays off when you consider the higher initial cost and the lifetime benifit/savings spread out over so long.
The LG panels on the other hand have the latest technology that I believe the industry is moving toward as a whole. (I know this is a very contested topic) Suffice it to say that I believe microinverters are here to stay and will increase market share at a rate to where they will be the predominate inverter in a few years. I like the idea of the safety and ease of repairs or changes to the system with the ACPV panels. Basically they are plug and play. I think this is what we'll all be using in a few years. I don't like the big bulky inverters of the other systems, the decreased longevity and the clunky wiring setup envolved with them also.
The printed circuitboard wiring of the LG cells as with all other panels except the Sunpower look a little sketchy for holding up for 30+ years of sun exposure and temperature changes. I think the LG system uses some kind of microwiring to increase efficiency by not covering up as much of the crystalline cell. Could this decrease longevity?
I can get a larger Sunpower system at similar cost ratio with 21 panels. But the overall total cost of the starts to get astronomical. I don't know that I need to do a 100% zeroing out of my energy usage. I have an EV and the TOU rate plan may be of some benefit.
Lastly I don't know if there is much difference in terms of low light productivity between the modules or the inverters. With the night and morning low clouds and fog at the coast this is a bit of a concern. My roof is 22.5 degree pitch but the Azimuth is around 120 so my roof isn't oriented ideally. Shading is not an issue but as I say low light system performance may be.
So, I'm torn between the two systems and would like recommendations. Thanks!
I like the Sunpower panels in terms of quality and warranty. They look like they will last a lifetime with little degradation. Of course it comes at a price which I'm not sure really pays off when you consider the higher initial cost and the lifetime benifit/savings spread out over so long.
The LG panels on the other hand have the latest technology that I believe the industry is moving toward as a whole. (I know this is a very contested topic) Suffice it to say that I believe microinverters are here to stay and will increase market share at a rate to where they will be the predominate inverter in a few years. I like the idea of the safety and ease of repairs or changes to the system with the ACPV panels. Basically they are plug and play. I think this is what we'll all be using in a few years. I don't like the big bulky inverters of the other systems, the decreased longevity and the clunky wiring setup envolved with them also.
The printed circuitboard wiring of the LG cells as with all other panels except the Sunpower look a little sketchy for holding up for 30+ years of sun exposure and temperature changes. I think the LG system uses some kind of microwiring to increase efficiency by not covering up as much of the crystalline cell. Could this decrease longevity?
I can get a larger Sunpower system at similar cost ratio with 21 panels. But the overall total cost of the starts to get astronomical. I don't know that I need to do a 100% zeroing out of my energy usage. I have an EV and the TOU rate plan may be of some benefit.
Lastly I don't know if there is much difference in terms of low light productivity between the modules or the inverters. With the night and morning low clouds and fog at the coast this is a bit of a concern. My roof is 22.5 degree pitch but the Azimuth is around 120 so my roof isn't oriented ideally. Shading is not an issue but as I say low light system performance may be.
So, I'm torn between the two systems and would like recommendations. Thanks!
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