SunPower Solar Panel

Sunpower’s Maxeon IS NOT Made in the USA

If you want your solar investment to support American manufacturing jobs, you may well think that simply choosing an American company, like SunPower, would accomplish it. At least for the moment, this is not the case.

After the split up in 2020, the only access Maxeon Technologies has had to the residential solar market in the U.S.. Has been the result of its exclusive North American supply agreement with SunPower.

Under the agreement, California based SunPower is prohibited from selling any brands other than Maxeon panels, while Maxeon is prohibited from using any other U.S. residential solar distributors.

In 2023, however, Maxeon is again free to sell through other US solar vendors, while SunPower will may consider other premium and non-premium panels from other manufacturers.

SunPower Maxeon panels by the numbers

The SunPower Maxeon SPR-MAX5-400-E3 module has a power max output of 400 W. The modules are manufactured in Malaysia and the Philippines, then assembled in Mexico before being shipped to the U.S. These N type silicon, monocrystalline modules create a traditional looking solar display on the roof. In independent third-party testing, all Maxeon SPR-MAX5 models test at or above their reported electrical output. Some panels produced as much as 5% over their reported rating. Reports indicate that some of the 400-watt panels tested near or at 420W production potential level. This is especially encouraging, not only for overall electricity production, but also when considering future impact of degradation.

The SunPower Maxeon SPR-MAX5-400-E3 also has a more than respectable rate of degradation, guaranteed not to exceed 2% during the first year and 0.25% annually from years two to 25 with 92.0% capacity guaranteed in year 25.

*SunPower Maxeon also produces a slightly more affordable P series panel, made of more common P type silicon. Sun Power Maxeon calls this the “Performance” series.

SunPower Solar Panel Efficiency

The SunPower/Maxeon flagship N-type silicon Maxeon 5 modules' efficiency ratings are between 21.5% and 22.2%. This puts them on the highest end of average solar panel efficiency. The Maxeon5 range achievement, is due to using a rear Interdigitated Back Contact (or IBC configuration).

Unlike its more affordable Maxeon 3, the Performance series - made of P-type silicon with shuttered cell and front-mounted bus bars, - the IBC cells use a micro grid of integrated conductors, connected to the bottom of the cell.

In side by side comparisons, the SunPower/Maxeon shuttered cell P-type silicon Maxeon 3 modules' efficiency ratings range between 22.1% and 22.6% also putting them on the highest end of average solar panel efficiency. In fact, according to Sunpower’s own spec sheets, when comparing efficiency the more affordable Maxeon 3 series performs as well or better than the IBC Maxeon 5 series.

SunPower Solar Power Tolerance Rating

Power tolerance refers to the amount of electricity it will produce either above or below its rated power capacity at Standard Test Conditions (STC). The smaller the power tolerance deviation or range, the more accurate the rated power capacity is.

MAXEON SPR MAX3 400W modules and MAXEON SPR MAX5 400 E3 AC modules have a power tolerance of -0/+5%.

Both the Max3 and Max5 panels will, at the very minimum, operate at their rated capacity. However, these panels have exceeded, by as much as 5%, their rated capacity.

For example, each of these panels rated at 400 W will operate anywhere from 400 W to 420 W (or 5% higher than 400) under STC.

With a -0% tolerance rating, both panels operate at, or above, 400 W.

In a side-by-side comparison of power tolerance, the Maxeon3 panel performed as well as the more expensive Maxeon 5 panel.

SunPower Solar Temperature Coefficient

Solar panels perform best at 77°F (25°C). In Texas, obviously, roofs see temperatures far in excess of 77°F for most of the year. A solar panel’s temperature coefficient is a measurement indicating how well a specific model of solar panel will perform outside of ideal operating conditions.

The panel’s temperature coefficient along with the temperature of the panel allows you to predict your panel’s performance during the dog days of summer.

Temperature coefficients are calculated in Celsius.

With each degree above 25° C /77° F, a given solar panel’s electric output will be diminished by its temperature coefficient.

Using the above methodology, the MAXEON SPR MAX3 400W panel has a temperature coefficient of -0.27%/°C. Hence, when this panel’s temperature increases from 25°C to 26°C (77° F to 79° F) expect a 0.27% reduction in potential electric output.

When it's July in Texas and temperatures have climbed to 95° F/35° C, expect electric output to decrease by 2.7%. During the hottest hours of summer, when the mercury climbs into the triple digits - 113° F/ 45° C - the MAXEON SPR MAX3 400W will decrease approximately 5.2%.

MAXEON SPR MAX5 400 E3 AC has a temperature coefficient of -0.29%/°C. When this panel’s temperature increases by one degree, from 25°C to 26°C (77° F to 79° F), expect a 0.29% reduction in potential electric output.

With respect to Temperature Coefficient, in hot weather the SPR MAX3 400W performs better than the more expensive N-type, MAXEON SPR MAX5 400 E3 AC.

SunPower Solar Performance Factors

The vast majority of the planet's solar capacity has been operational for less than 60 months. Accordingly, long-term data is not yet available for such a young industry. In the absence of real world data, the solar industry relies on evaluations from expert third party testing labs.

PVEL is an independent lab and field-testing service that assembles the data that developers use to get reliable solar equipment. This results in performance forecasts with a high degree of accuracy.

In the 2022 9th Edition of PVEL’s PV Module Reliability testing, Sunpower/Maxeon made the 5 X Top Performer. They had previously won the distinction in 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2022.

SunPower/Maxeon have a long history of scoring high marks from multiple third-party testing laboratories around the world.

In August 2021 Sunpower / Maxeon received a Cradle to Cradle certification.

Cradle to Cradle certification attempts to measure the environmental and social sustainability of an invention in five categories: material health, material reutilization, renewable energy & carbon management, water stewardship, and social fairness.

Maxeon 3 and Maxeon 5 Solar Panels that are manufactured in Mexicali or Ensenada, Mexico, Melaka, Malaysia; and DeVernejoul, France was all Cradle to Cradle certified through 2024. You will see these panels in the US market as X-Series, A-Series, and M-Series.