Designed to work with SunPower Equinox® home energy system, SunPower’s high quality standards ensure that the solar cell technology makes more energy from every drop of sunshine. Factor in the elegant styling and durability, it’s no wonder our system has been leading the industry the longest.
Solar Technology
SunPower® offers multiple high quality panel options that are rigorously tested to ensure system reliability for years in the future. There are many options for preferred aesthetics and wattage, but the main two types provided can be categorized as follows:
Front Contact Panels
Also known as "Passivated Emitter and Rear Contact" (PERC), are an advancement on conventional panels with an extra layer within in the back side, allowing some of the sun’s light to be reflected back into the solar cell.
Back Contact Panels
Known as IBC technology, or “interdigitated back contact”, are highly durable due to a thick layer of tin-plated copper on the back that holds the cell together. Because they do not have contacts on the front of the panel, they provide higher performance due to higher use of the light spectrum.

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SunPower Equinox® Systems + SunVault® Storage
A complete solar solution, designed to work together
Gone are the days of clunky, piecemeal solar systems. Our SunPower Equinox® system + SunVault® Storage is the only complete home solar system that is designed and warranted by one company. From the highest efficiency panels available* to energy monitoring software, every component is designed to work together perfectly—from sun to switch.
- *. SunPower M-440 panels offer the highest efficiency of any commercially available solar panel based on the top 20 panel manufacturers by market share in the US (per Wood Mackenzie US PV Leaderboard Q3 2022 report).
SunPower® Complete Confidence Warranty | Other Home Solar Company Warranty |
---|---|
✔ | ✖ |
✔ | ✖ |
✔ | ✖ |
✔ | Sometimes |
✔ | ✖ |
25 years | As short as 12 years |
Industry-leading Warranty, All From One Company
The Equinox system is backed by an industry-leading home solar warranty that covers your whole system (not just the panels). That means you never have to wonder which company you can depend on. We’ve got you covered for 25 years*—including performance, labor and parts.
Get the details on our industry-leading warranty
- *. 10-year coverage for monitoring hardware
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What to Look for in Solar Panels
Three questions to ask when buying solar panels
How much energy will my panels produce; how long will my system last; and who makes my solar panels?
SunPower solar panels are better by design
Find out why SunPower's solar panels are the most durable and most efficient on the market.
Energy prices are on the rise again. Why wait to install solar on your home?
Learn more about solar panels
Frequently Asked Questions
How many solar panels will I need for my home?
The number of panels you’ll need for your home will depend on several factors. The easiest thing to do is to look at your electricity bill to get your home’s hourly energy usage, multiply that by the peak sunlight hours for your home (3 to 4 hours on average), and divide by 300, which is an average wattage for solar panels (although they can range from 150 to 370).
Hourly energy usage x peak sunlight hours / 300 = number of panels. This typically ranges from 17-42 panels.
One simple way of answering “How many solar panels do I need” is to let a local solar installer look at your home and give you a quote for system size (including number and wattage of panels), cost, and estimated annual and lifetime savings. Let our Solar Advisors match you with the perfect SunPower installer in your area. Read more about determining number of panels on our blog.
Which is the best type of solar panel?
There are several types of solar technology, but almost all home solar panels use crystalline silicon (monocrystalline or polycrystalline). The main difference is the purity of the silicon.
Monocrystalline silicon is made from a single-crystal, and polycrystalline silicon is made by melting silicon fragments together. In monocrystalline panels, there are fewer impurities, so the electrons are less likely to get blocked before leaving as electricity, thus these panels are “more efficient” or better at turning sunlight into electricity.SunPower offers multiple high efficiency monocrystalline solar panel options with efficiency of up to 22.8 percent and a lead performing panel on the market today.
Read more about types of solar panels on our blog.
Why do high-efficiency solar panels matter?
More power in less space. A high efficiency rating ensures your solar system will generate more electricity with fewer panels on your roof. Fewer panels with more power are great for smaller roofs as well as maintaining curb appeal on larger roofs. Plus, with fewer high efficiency panels, you’ll have room to expand your solar system if you get an electric vehicle or add on to your home. Right now, SunPower offers solar panels with up to than 22 percent efficiency, the highest efficiency available today.
Using fewer materials per watt is also great for sustaining our planet. In fact, it’s a double benefit, because less energy is required to construct the system, and more solar energy is generated at a faster rate.
Read more about solar panel efficiency on our blog.
Do solar panels wear out over time?
In short, yes. Your roof isn’t a very hospitable place, so conventional solar cells lose power over time because of corrosion and breakage.
SunPower has rigorous testing and quality assurance standards to offer the market’s best home energy system and panels on the market. That’s why we offer the industry’s best warranty and stand behind our panel’s durability and performance.