SunPower Reviews

Warning to all those looking into the solar investment and dealing with Arizona Base Elite Solar concepts, Titan Solar and Corporate Sun Power. Yes they may have the highest efficient Solar panel product on the market but their Sales and Customer support has been nothing but a nightmare. Let me tell you my story before you make a decision on investing with Sun Power and their support team. My nightmare all started shortly have both parties signed a lease contract on Oct’17. A few weeks after the lease contract was signed, I received a call from Elite Solar Concepts stating that Sun Power accidently cancelled my contract, so we had to resign a new one. Well when they sent me a new contract I noticed that my monthly lease payment had increase and only after multiple phone calls did they finally get the contract payment back to the original agreement. Now we are in late Nov’17. Then I waited and when Jan’18 came around I finally had to make multiple calls to all three companies to finally find out that there was some issue with the drawings that the city had, and Elite Solar Concepts and Titan Solar had to redo and resubmit. They stated that this was going to be walk thru and everything should be back on track. Well again I waited to hear from Elite Solar/Titan Solar/ Sunpower on a installation date but nothing. So again, I had to make multiple calls to Elite Solar/Titan Solar/Sunpower to find out that there was some internal drawing issues and they had to do another Shade report. Well they came out the next day to do their shade report then once again every went quiet. Then the final hammer came down. I received and email from Sunpower and Elite Solar Concept stating I had to sign an amendment to the original signed contract because they overestimated the amount their system annual kWh could produce. After reviewing the drop in kWh from the original contract agreement I was still OK however I noticed that my Price Pre kW went up and my monthly Lease payment stayed the same. So I contracted Elite Solar Concept/Titan Solar/Sunpower stating I was OK with the drop in the annual kWh however I would think that my monthly Least payment would also go down. To my extreme shock they told me that Sunpower has gone thru price changes since my original Contract signing (Both partied agreed) and if I sign the amendment that I now have to pay the price difference. I challenged this response stating the I should be honor the original contract Price pre kw and my payment should lower due to their miss-calculation in what they original agree too in the signed contract. However, after venting my frustration with this, they answer was “Sorry, your out of luck”. Well it is now 6 months from the start of this whole project and I have no solar panel. My final message to anyone reading this is I only warning you of the potential frustration and head that you may encounter when dealing with Elite Solar Concepts, Titan Solar and Sunpower.

Do Not use this Solar Company. I have had them as as my Solar Company in a previous home with no problems. However in my new home I am Completely dissatisfied with the excuses they have given me. I am paying $264. a month on my lease, but also, up to $277, 198, 213, to my electric company. I have complained to NYSERDA which explained that many other companies will add a couple of panels if their math calculations were off. All Sun wants me to do is buy another system. BY the way FYI this company is in the Philippines, the glossy picture you get with the paperwork is a photo in the US.

My solar system has been installed since Sep 2017 including the final inspection and is still inactive. SunPower has neglected to send Arizona Public Service (APS) the Lessor Agreement Acknowledgement in order for APS to install their meter and give approval for turn-on. There has been no reply after several inquiries to my direct representative, SunPower service personnel and their Arizona office from myself as well as APS for more than 2 months. Customer service, support and responsiveness is terrible!!!

My panels were installed in 2013 by a local Arizona installer for SunPower. I was told that they would monitor my system and as soon as something goes wrong, they would notify the local installer. My inverter went down on Wednesday, July 26, 2017 but they didn't notify me until the evening of Friday, August 11, 2017. They sent a work order to the local installer on Monday, August 14, 2017. First I was told 3-5 days for them to call and schedule an appointment. Then I was told they had 7-10 days. They didn’t come out until I started calling them the end of August. The installer said a new inverter needed to be installed. I called on September 6, 2017 to confirm that one had been ordered. I was assured it had been but was told it would take about 12 weeks. So on Thursday, November 9, 2017, I called to inquire about the status. When I started getting lies, I called SunPower Support. I was told no inverter had been ordered and the local installer was required to call their technical support while at my home looking at the inverter. I asked SunPower that I wanted a supervisor and to have this escalated. I didn’t get that. I was told I had to wait for the installer to schedule an appointment with me but they would make sure they are closely monitoring my ticket. As of Monday, November 13, 2017, I still have not heard from the local installer. SunPower’s after the purchase/lease customer service is not satisfactory. Nor is the customer service of their local installers.

I have had a SunPower Solar system for over 14 years and it is still going strong. We have never had any problems whatsoever. I strongly recommend this company.

Worst company to deal with . Got my panels from Sunpro in Wildomar Ca. I explained that I needed enough power to operate 2 additional washers and dryers and a spa. I have to pay $800+ to Edison every end of the year. I was promised that I would probably pay 12-22 dollars at the end of the year. My system does not produce enough and I cant get Sunpower to help me anymore. They sent out 2 additional panels and the installer told me it would not make any difference because I needed at least 6 more to compensate for what I needed. I wish I could have them come get their stupid panels and go with a company that is honest. DO NOT GO WITH SUNPRO IN WILDOMAR CALIFORNIA. They are rude and lie to you.

had baker elec install system old bill was 850 950 month leased system during install they almost burned down house by putting ground into hot metrics's box roof leaked they had me sign release pulled panels new roof re grouped panels lots of problems very unhappy any good lawyers out there 77 old dumb guy would like to have them put it were the sun doesn't shine

My system was installed in 2007, three years later the SunPower inverter was recalled and was replaced, then 7 yrs later that inverter quit working. The company contracted to service SunPower products evaluated the system and spent hrs on the phone with SunPower trouble shooting and finally concluded that the inverter needed to be replaced while it was still under warranty. However, a rep in The Philippines decided that it was not under the warranty. After 4 calls I reached the Phillipino's supervisor who argued that it had been more than 10 yrs since the system was installed. I reminder her that the 2nd inverter was still under the 10 yr warranty by three years. Being consistent with almost all other SunPower customer service online reviews her rudeness was startling disappointing, but consistent with the apparent SunPower employee mission statement: "Let's not be helpful." Then I called her supervisor 6 times with no response or message. Another phone call later I was placed on hold for 26 minutes while her supervisor was attempted to be reached. No success! No surprise there! Then a phone call from a rep in Austin, TX. Same poor customer service with an admitted unwillingness to stand behind the faulty products SunPower sells because "SunPower doesn't manufacture the inverters and the manufacturer won't honor the warranty." Even though SunPower sold the faulty product as part of their system they will not help the consumer that they sold the product to. In summary SunPower has a top to bottom customer service attitude of don't return phone calls to customers, DO NOT be helpful, and offer excuses that SunPower is not responsible for faulty products that SunPower promotes & sells because SunPower doesn't manufacture them. Avoid this company at all costs!!!!!

Working great. However, far more expensive than others I have heard about. 20 years is a long time to lease, especially for older homeowners. Does not offer to negotiate the lease to make it more affordable.

This is long but worth the read! Very good information to be informed about in this Review. Be very careful in dealing with SunPower. I have elderly parents that live in a retirement community and live on a very tight fix income. SunPower made a proposal to their community to install Solar Power for all Common Community Buildings. The community voted against the installation due to the fact that SunPower was the only company making a presentation and most of the retired elderly did not understand how Solar Power could save them money. SunPower then was able to talk to individual home owners after their presentation and make their pitch on how they could save them money on their home electricity bill. My parents took the bait and started talks with SunPower. SunPower was trying to sell them on a No Money Down Lease solution for 20year at $100 a month. Their average bill is just a little higher than $100 now. The cost of the Solar System to buy was about $21,000 and the lease over the 20 years would come to just over $26,000. They directed them against buying the system due to their limited budget. My father mentioned to them that all their assets were tied up in a Living Trust and that I was the Executor of the Living Trust. Lucky for them and myself SunPower got greedy and said I would have to sign the Lease also. My parent called me up and asked me to sign this lease as the Executor of the Trust. At the time of the call I was very busy at work with multiple projects to attend to and did not think much of what they were asking me to do. They sent me a secured linked document to sign electronically. As I was going through the document I notice that is stated me as the Co-Leaser and not the Executor Of the Living Trust. This immediately caused me to have big concerns over who my parents were dealing with. I told my parents I could not sign this lease and needed a couple of days to look in to Solar Power. As always I am a person who researches everything to make sure I am getting what I am paying for. I contacted two other Solar Companies and asked them a multitude of questions and to give me quotes. After talking to both and getting some numbers both said they don't do leases and recommend that no one should get a lease with solar. Both gave a rough estimate of about the same price for the Solar Systems as SunPower. But with further review neither could save my parents any money on their electrical bill due to they don't use enough and that they were getting a medical discount already on their utility bill. I then started having my parents ask questions to SunPower why I had to be on the lease, what was the purchase price of the Solar System, and do they have a loan program. SunPower then started dancing around the lease saying I did not have to sign it. They presented the Purchase price of $21,000 with the FED Tax credit of 1/3 the coast which brought the price of the unit to about $15,000 after the Tax Credits. They also gave us the terms on the loan but did not include the tax credit. The loan was also very strange that they mention that there were terms to the loan. I had to read the fine print to understand that you had to pay at least 1/3 of the system off in 18 months to keep the payments the same. If you did not pay 1/3 off your loan off interest and payments would go up. We immediately wrote them and cancel any further discussion with them. SunPower had the nerve to try and charge my parents $250 for coming out to their house and to put together a proposal. I replied to their email and told them I would sue them if they did not decease talking to my parents and trying to collect $250 for the so called services. They wrote back and stated they were doing everything in good faith and that my parents should pay them the $250 but in a round about way they would no try to collect. Since it was very vague I wrote back and confirmed that they would not be charging or talking to my parents again. They finally responded that they would not. Conclusion: SunPower Lease - $26,000 Product cost $21,000 1/3 Tax Credit would go to SunPower total cost of Solar $32,600. SunPower would make $15,000 on this type of deal. SunPower Loan - Product cost $21,000 1/3 Tax Credit was not mentioned interest range from 3.99 -4.99% and 1/3 of the had to be paid off in 18 months or loan would go up and interest could change. Very Unclear terms. Last this system would not have met my parents ultimate needs to be able to us more electricity like they would want to and keep their electric bill at $100 a month. SunPower works with Authorized Installers which could create big problems if the system does not do or work as they claim. The two separate companies could blame the other and you will be stuck in the middle. With a lease you can not include the Solar Upgrade to the Price of the house and the new owner will have to agree to the lease. If the new owners don't agree to the lease it can be remove AT A COST of the Lessee. Lastly SunPower could also put a lean on the house at the time of sale making it difficult to sell the house. Recommend: Horizon Solar Power was very helpful and I believe honest. Their company does not do leases, they will give you 100% guaranty if your numbers calculate out and they install their own products so there is not middle man. You Deal with One Company that is honest.

2 inverter and 24 solar panel start on may 2016. One inverter with 12 solar panel stop working before Christmas 2016, already 7 months and still out of order ( Sun power have no service, for service by 3 party technician waiting 10 to 15 days. After each service solar working 2 to 3 days and again coming error ( not working). Already replaced inverter and still not working. Last error on this replaced inverter start June 22/2017, until now nothing done. Sun power not monitoring working units. Customer service is terrible. Supervisor Mabel is giving empty promises. July 25/2017 customer service call me to conform appointment of technician on August 10/2017 time 11:00am 2:00pm, so home owner need to be at home ( problem for working owners). This time will come Sun power technician, nice and waiting time only 50 days. I stop billing collection.

This company is SCREWING us. The solar panels were installed two years ago at my parents' house. After the first year they received a bill from Edison for over $1,000 for electricity usage. This prompted SunPower to come back to the house and install an additional 14 solar panels. Year two just passed in April of 2017 and they received another Edison bill of $1,200. (Electricity usage has remained relatively constant over the last three years. We've actually been consuming less electricity in the last few months due to the purchase of energy efficient appliances and lights and are still paying more than before we had solar panels.) I finally got involved in February 2017 as they kept brushing my parents off. After my own analysis I realized they tricked my parents into a signing a contract that stated they paid on average of $284.20. THIS IS FALSE. The average bill pre-solar was $160 in the summer and $173 in the winter. No one in their right mind would knowingly agree to pay $153 for a solar lease that only covers 50.4% of electrical consumption when the average bill was ~$166. Page 1 states that the estimated savings from Edison would be $175. How is that the savings if they never paid that much in the past? Now my parents are paying on average $100 more per month with solar panels and they are refusing to offer a fix. To make matters worse we just had a third party engineer come by to confirm if the solar panels were producing enough energy and it turns out the additional 14 were never connected (still aren't and they have been on the roof for over a year) and their installation caused leaks in our roof that has been creating water damage in our attic for the last year. Still fighting this and currently looking into legal counsel to get these panels removed from our house.

Customer Service is one of the worst I have dealt with. When I called because my system isn't reporting the lady claimed it was caused because of the electrical storm (which we had not had an electrical storm) I told her numerous times we had no storms but she didn't listen. I've called 5 times, still waiting for someone to fix the issue. No idea if my system I producing like they said it would be. I was told when they were trying to get me to sign the contract that they also monitor the systems and would be able to tell if something wasn't working correctly right away. Guess that was a lie, they do not monitor the systems, its up to me to check it daily. Would not recommend Sun Power to anyone. Worst customer service once you sign

Had solar system installed by one of sunpowers so called authorized dealers in 2016. My home uses 13000kw a year and was sold a 10k system. Since September 2016 the system has only produced 1600kw. My electric bill is over 200 a month and I now have a loan of 240 a month. What I was sold was not what was advertised. False claims and if you purchase a system from sunpower they will do nothing to help you if the dealer is bad. They only stand behind the system if it is leased. So buyer beware don't not buy a system from them. I am going to have to go to court to get the matter resolved. I paid over 40k for a system that will not save me money

Everything bout SP is lie.Signed contract Oct 2015.System wasnt in till July 2016.They promised system would be in Mar.2016.They said county delayed install due to a screw being wrong.They said they'd pay utlites until it was finished. Soon as it got hot they stopped paying.Left me a balance with utility com.$1300 Salesman & Customer Service are rude.Still have not received a copy of contract.My system cost $137,000.THEY SAID MY ROOF WASN'T RIGHT SO I HAVE A GROUND UNIT. THOUGHT MY PAYMENT WAS GOING TO BE $226MTH. IT'S $447.DID I MENTION THEY MESSED UP MY BEDROOM WALL INSTALLING ELECTRICAL BOX???

My sun power system went live in the latter part of May 2016. In my contract is states we are to produce 33kw per day. We leased a 17 panel system. Shortly after it took 7 months for the installation and system to actually go live, it started to have a decline in production. To which was deemed the system wasn't powerful enough to supply our needs. October 31, sun power had smart energy solar out to install 4 additional panels at no additional cost. That day our system stopped monitoring. No one contacted me from either sun power or smart energy solar. I did ALL the calling to rectify the situation. One day 3 weeks later, on its own, it started monitoring. Only instead of producing more like it should, it was even less. So it went from 33kw per day, to 21kw and now with 4 additional panels to 17kw. It has also stopped monitoring. Their call center only says their waiting for the resident supervisor to call me, who never does. Nothing has been done to correct my problem!

Looks good - doesn't deliver. Went with Sun Power after looking at equipment & relying on their estimates of our power needs. Was betrayed by what turned out to be an incompetent estimation of our needs. Installation was a nightmare. Local dealer delayed installation for months. Did not install per the approved plan. Result was that city red tagged the project. Once city approval was obtained, HOA approval requirements were simply ignored. Finally had totally inappropriate shield installed that was never cleared by HOA. Sidewall equipment was never painted as required. Process started in Feb. It is now Nov ... do the math. Installation still in progress. Installed system woefully underpowered. 30 panels installed after our questioning adequacy of initial proposal. Were assured that 30 panels would cover our need. 4 months experience suggest that the installed system is 20% underpowered. No longer receiving communications from Sun Power ... am receiving monthly bills. Stay away from Sun Power.

In the new era of "let the buyer beware", we can only give kudos to Sunpower. From customer service, to monitoring production, to the actual products. We rate an A+

Worst Customer Service ever, no ones follows up on anything, I kept having to call and probe them for current info and to keep the project going. They made several mistakes which cost time and money, they broke personal items at my house and have not replaced them, during the install they disabled my air conditioner, and told me to call an electrician to come out and look at it.? For every mistake they made, they always put the burden on me to provide info to fix their incompetence. I would never recommend this company to anyone, I just wish I could get out of this contract, but I am stuck with this company, I should have checked the market better for Solar companies that provide better customer service than Sunpower, they are the worst.

Do no tuse SunPower. I have had nothing but problems with sunpower and its supplier Amergy (Americian renewable energy since Sept of 2013. They don't return calls, lose paperwork file for permits late and the bigone they damaged my NEW roof and interior of my house due to leaks. I've been in contact w/ amergy about this and the women I spoke too was complaining they are loosing a fourtune due to ALL the repairs they have to make. Amergy sent someone to check out and repair the damage and they did not speak English!!! Sunpower contacted a company which does not do repairs (why contact them???) This company sent someoneone who said they would do the repairs.. Sunpower superviser says she will pass it on to her superivsor; this has been going on for over 2 months and I reported the damage over 4 months ago. Because of the damage they may be moldd in the ceiling and I told them that and this did NOT seam to be a concern to them, Do not use SunPower they 'don't" care. The only thing they worry about is profit!!!

This company doesn't currently service Arizona. That's what this best company review says and I agree with that as far as their customer service goes. They do still have nine dealers in the Phoenix area but they mostly are just subcontractors that install the panels. SunPower has to agree on almost every thing that's done and that can be nearly impossible. Sometimes when you need to contact them, you will have to speak to their representative in the Philippines and it could be hard to understand exactly what they say. The company does have good panels and their leasing contract keeps your payment the same every year. The problem I have with them is their installer that did mine lost their state license, did shoddy work, and now it's difficult to get them to fix anything. They may eventually allow their dealers to truly maintain all their installations without so much difficulty but until then, I would wait or check out others. I've had three or four problems but my latest one is the pigeon invasion building nests under their solar panels. I can't have just anyone fix this problem because SunPower has to approve. I'm still waiting for at least some kind of document allowing me to go ahead or for them to choose someone. I need more than just a referral number to call if it's to an unlicensed, unbonded, and uninsured exterminator. I began calling about this in January and now there's so much nesting material under them that it's a fire hazard.

This company took a $1000 check on June 3, 2016 and promised it would not be cashed but was rather just to hold to show our interest. On June 23, 2016 we were paying a bill online and noticed that without any notification or communication at all, this $1000 had been cashed and the $1000 taken out of our account. We started emailing but no reply, and today after a couple of phone calls ended up getting sales pitch after sales pitch when we demanded this money back. We have now initiated a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and New York State Attorney General's Office. Beware when dealing with SunPower by New York State solar Farm. Our contact person is Tate Lacy.

As I was serving dinner, A sales representative from Renewable Energy, knocked on the door, I asked if he could please go solicit another house while we were eating dinner, he said, that we were the only house on the whole block that was approved for a Grant from the Government, I asked if he could come back another day, he said, that after that day the Grant would run out, there was also a rebate from the company which would allow us a generator, I kept saying the math, does not equal out at the end, He only made the offer for the lease agreement, I had no information on the solar panels, I asked if we could please have a couple of days to think about it, he said impossible offer is going to run out today, needless to say, to make us sign papers he promised us the moon, I signed the papers, because by this time, it is very late, we are tired, we did not read any papers, so in reality, I don't know what I signed, as a matter of fact, My Name on the Papers is Carla Tummolillo, but in reality, my name is, Assunta Tummolillo, Carla is a nickname which my dentist office has my care credit, maybe Thats how can the Government approve me for a grant, but its the wrong name. I asked for all the paperwork of the promises he made us, copies were never given to us, when I called to see if he could send us the copy, they said that the guy, was no longer working there. They Started Job early May finshed in either September or October. After they finished they sent us a bill, stating that we owe the $16,000 down and $205, but because there was a misunderstanding, they are willing to work with us and charge a monthly payment of $405, that means that the $16,000, turned to $48,000, also the panels they put in the front of my garage, during the day whlile we are at work, the snow melts falls off the solar panels right in front of the garage doors, causing damage to my driveway, after a couple of months my neighbors got solar panels but they are a newer model, so not only I got charged so much money, but its a discontinued item. The representative made no mention of a PPA, Living in New Jersey I do not think the solar Panels are worth it, I know there is a law that states, people have to get their money's worth, in New Jersey

I have had nothing but problems w/ sunpower and their contractors since sept 2013. After a year plus of delays the panels were installed. I put a NEW roof on so as not to have problems with leaks; well I was wrong, my roof leaks ans the water damaged 3 ceilings and a wall in my house. I called Amergy aka American Renewable Energy who sold me and had the panels installed to fix the leakes; they sent me a contractor who does not speak english.No response after I complained again. I then called sunpower they called amergy they did not get back to sunpower; this is not the first time this has happened. After calling sunpower they sent someone, this person said the leaks were due to faulty installation after more then 3 weeks still NO response even after I called and they said this report will be forwarded to the proper department. As of now I have stopped paying them and will not pat them till the repairs are done to my satisfaction.

I visited SunPower's website and completed the pop-up inquiry box. I received a call the following day from an "authorized" SunPower Contractor. I was not given any additional options if I wanted a SunPower PV system on my home. After providing the Contractor, in Miami, FL with a $13,000 deposit, I received nothing. The contractor has not returned calls for more than I month. The deposit was given more than five months ago. I contacted SunPower for some assistance and after nearly a monthly they offered to provide me with the names of other contractors but zero relief, not even a partial discount on the panels to help complete my system after sustaining a loss of $13,000. I would be very careful in dealing with SunPower they appear not to scrutinize their authorized contractors well and provided me no assistance after having a problem with their local contractor