Sunpower X21 vs Suniva Optimus Mono325

[Naptown]

Yeah that's basically what I've been doing. I obviously can't predict electric rates/ usage 10 years into the future, let alone 20. But I think that some assumptions are safe. My appliances are all new, so I won't be replacing them with anything more efficient for at least 10yrs (hopefully!). Both vehicles i have are new, so again hopefully 10yrs on that. Electric vehicle is possible after that time, assuming technology is there for a decent AWD EV. It's also I think safe to assume that electric rates will increase modestly over time. They could increase drastically, but that would only help the solar payoff happen sooner regardless of panel choice. I doubt very much rates will decrease over time.

I think if anything I could assume that I'd consume less, not more power over then next 10yrs, as we move to more efficient light bulbs & other technologies. I currently use a DVR which i'll be getting rid of & they are apparently a big energy eater. The only big power increase I foresee is the addition of a mini-split, but that would be done to offset oil usage, so I'd be coming out ahead there anyway.

I like that SP are american made, as I try to buy american when i can. I also like the longer warranty. Both of these things bring some value that i can't really calculate. At this point I'm probably pushing the whole project off until Springtime. By the time our installers can be scheduled the panels wouldn't be installed until mid-late October. I also have to have 2 trees removed & my tree-guy is backed up until early October.

SP are NOT American made.
Cells come from the Philippines and assembly Mexico and elsewhere.
They do have some U.S. Made panels which if you are specifying them would account for the $2.00 a watt difference as opposed to the usual 20-30% up charge.
Suniva can be ordered as U.S made for a slight up charge. All cells made in Georgia and assembly in either is or China

[na9an]

leaning towards the lower price points

I too initially got taken up by the HEAVY sales pitch on SunPower,

got quotes for X21 335W @ 4.56/W (am in northern California).

BUT after getting other quotes and running some math, I agree with JPM above... do we really know what our energy usage will be 20 years down the road?
also, I bet there will be technology breakthroughs by then which may double efficiency... which might mean that the SunPower today might be lapped by others tomorrow.

Also, I prefer micro-inverters to monitor each individual panel (which somehow SunPower doesnt come with... or maybe none of their dealers here offer that)

So trending towards the other panels which give me the micro-inverter option.
LG NeON2 looks like good tech. (25 year perf. warranty though only 12 year product warranty)
details here:

http://www.lg.com/us/commercial/solar-panels/lg-LG320N1C-G4

But I think that should suffice for the majority of us.

[J.P.M.]

I too initially got taken up by the HEAVY sales pitch on SunPower,

got quotes for X21 335W @ 4.56/W (am in northern California).

BUT after getting other quotes and running some math, I agree with JPM above... do we really know what our energy usage will be 20 years down the road?
also, I bet there will be technology breakthroughs by then which may double efficiency... which might mean that the SunPower today might be lapped by others tomorrow.

Also, I prefer micro-inverters to monitor each individual panel (which somehow SunPower doesnt come with... or maybe none of their dealers here offer that)

So trending towards the other panels which give me the micro-inverter option.
LG NeON2 looks like good tech. (25 year perf. warranty though only 12 year product warranty)
details here:

http://www.lg.com/us/commercial/solar-panels/lg-LG320N1C-G4

But I think that should suffice for the majority of us.

FWIW, I'd bet individual panel monitoring novelty will wear off rather quickly. Unless you have shade problems, string inverters will save a few $$'s, maybe ~~ $0.20/Watt or so, and reduce the # of possible failure points (1/inverter).

[Naptown]

Be aware that the Neon2 panels are a bi facial panel similar to the Sanyo panels.
You will only get the benefit of the light at the back of the panel if they are mounted in a free standing rack
Mounting them flush with the roof negates the backlight and reduces the output.

[madas]

OK so I managed to get the price for Sunpower (not the X21) down to $3.7/watt (pre-incentives) for an approx ~21kW system with Solaredge Optimizers and 3x 7.2K Solaredge Inverters. They are proposing to use the E20-327-COM (Commercial) panels. These are obviously a few watts less than the X21 345 panels. They also appear to have a higher tolerance range (E20:+5/-3% vs X21:+5/-0%) and a silver frame (instead of black?). Is there anything else I need to be aware of with these panels? the spec sheet seems to suggest that the there is no other difference between these and the X21.