Quick Stats

System Size: 38.88kW

Installation Type: SunPower Equinox® + SunVault™

Est. Total Lifetime Savings: $928,526

Est. Electricity Offset: 33%

Est. Total CO2 offset over the life of the system: 800 metric tons (equivalent emission from 2 million miles driven in an average passenger vehicle)

Southern California is known for its uniquely hot summers, especially in the inland Coachella Valley east of Los Angeles. In Rancho Mirage, late - summer high temperatures hover around 107ºF and can exceed 120ºF. Keeping cool can be taxing on the budget and the climate.

For homeowner Kontaxis, going solar was a way to control skyrocketing electricity costs and do his part for the environment.

"I needed a way to meet the demands of Rancho Mirage summers," Kontaxis says.

Turning to SunPower dealer Renova Solar, Kontaxis learned about the SunPower Equinox and SunVault Storage system.

SunPower Equinox is an all-in-one home solar system that includes rooftop solar modules with built - in microinverter technology designed to maximize power production at each panel. The SunVault storage system can provide backup power during rolling grid outages and can also help reduce peak-time charges—both of which are not uncommon events in the California summer.

SunPower panels lead the industry in durability¹ and can generate up to 55 % more power over conventional solar systems in the same space over 25 years.² With a 25-year comprehensive system warranty, Kontaxis and his family can rest assured their power needs will be safely handled for this generation—and the next.

The Details

Renova Solar' s Vincent Battaglia led the installation process and noted that the size of the house lent itself to significant savings. With 108 solar panels, the SunPower Equinox system is designed to offset 33% of the home's electrical consumption.

"My energy consultant was very thorough about SunPower's superior product, "Kontaxis notes.

Kontaxis was also glad to learn that he could monitor the system's operation and savings with the mySunPower® app, intuitive software that also enables him to control how much excess energy to save to storage or to send back to the grid for even greater savings.

In the first year alone, the Kontaxis family is expected to save approximately $25,000 on their utility bills. SunPower Equinox and SunVault Storage systems provide a total projected lifetime savings of approximately $928,526.

"The savings really surprised me, and it really matters to save that much on electricity in the Coachella Valley," Kontaxis notes. "The summer savings alone are 100% worth it, and I love being able to monitor my system's production."

The environmental impact is especially notable. In terms of total carbon dioxide emissions, the system is expected to remove an estimated 800 metric tons of CO2 from the atmosphere over the life of the system, which is equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions generated by nearly 2 million miles driven in a car.³

For its aesthetics, quality, and performance, the Kontaxis project recently won a 2021 SunPower Intelegant award.

For the Kontaxis family, staying cool with solar is helping them save money and give back to the earth.

1 Jordan, et.al.Robust PV Degradation Methodology and Application, PVSC 2018

2 SunPower 400 W, 22.6 % efficient, compared to a Conventional Panel on same - sized arrays(280 W multi, 17 % efficient, approx.1.64 m²), 8 % more energy per watt(based on PVSim runs for avg US climate), 0.5 % /yr slower degradation rate (Jordan, et. al. Robust PV Degradation Methodology and Application. PVSC 2018).

3 Calculation made through EPA' s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator