Updated 1 week ago
What SunPower Customers Need to Know About Its Bankruptcy
Written by
Catherine Lane
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After major months of public struggles and structural changes, SunPower, one of the country’s largest home solar providers, filed for bankruptcy. This leaves the company’s nearly 600,000 residential solar customers wondering, “What do I do now?”
To put it simply, it’s complicated. A lot is still up in the air, but here’s what consumers should know about the situation with SunPower and how it impacts their system.
Key takeaways
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SunPower filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, leaving over half a million customers wondering what will happen to their home solar systems.
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SunPower customers can compile all of their paperwork and SunPower communications, call the SunPower dealer who completed their installation, and contact the equipment manufacturer to understand their system’s status better.
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Customers affected by SunPower's bankruptcy may lose some of the initial warranty coverage promised but should still be covered by manufacturing warranties.
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Those who own their solar panels can have their systems repaired by other service providers or their initial installer, but finding someone who will take on repairs may be difficult.
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The SunPower situation is ongoing, so things may change as it evolves.
SunPower is not out of business (yet)
First things first, SunPower is not out of business, at least not yet. The company filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, which allows a company to restructure while it continues to operate.
Complete Solar, acting as a “stalking horse buyer,” was awarded the bid for a portion of SunPower's assets, including Blue Raven Solar, SunPower’s New Homes business, and a portion of SunPower's Dealer network.
SunPower is continuing to operate other portions of the business, but it’s possible SunPower will try to liquidate more of its assets in the future. The total impact of SunPower's bankruptcy remains to be seen and will continue to develop with time.
What SunPower customers can do after the bankruptcy
As of September 20, 2024, SunPower ceased system support through the mySunPower app, web portal, or its phone number, 1-800-SUNPOWER. So, what are you supposed to do now? Here are a few options as you’re finding solutions in the wake of SunPower’s bankruptcy:
1. Find all of your installation paperwork and communications
Gathering all of your SunPower paperwork is crucial for moving forward. You’ll want your warranty paperwork, signed contracts, and financing agreements handy. If you’ve had any written communications with SunPower, keep them on file.
Familiarize yourself with the equipment on your roof, most notably the equipment brands. You can find this information in your contract. If you don’t have your contract, your local permitting department may have a record of your equipment.
Understanding the fine print of your contracts will make it easier for you down the line if another company takes over your lease or if you need a contractor to come out and fix your system.
Understanding the fine print of your contracts will make it easier for you down the line if another company takes over your lease or if you need a contractor to come out and fix your system.
2. Call your SunPower dealer
If your system was installed by a SunPower dealer, now would be a good time to call them if they haven’t already reached out to you. You can ask them questions about your warranty and whether they offer support for their SunPower customers.
3. Call the manufacturers of your equipment
Solar equipment often has its own warranties offered by manufacturers. After reviewing your SunPower documents, contact the manufacturers of your solar panels, inverters, and racking equipment to confirm that the manufacturer warranty is still valid after the SunPower bankruptcy news.
Many SunPower installations use Enphase microinverters and Maxeon solar panels. Both Enphase and Maxeon plan to honor their respective manufacturer warranties should any issues arise with your equipment. However, manufacturer warranties don't typically cover costs to ship replacement parts or the labor to install them.
What happens to your SunPower warranty?
It's fair for consumers to be concerned about SunPower warranties, especially because many were sold on SunPower’s reputation for providing the most comprehensive warranty coverage in the home solar industry.
SunPower customers may lose certain portions of their promised warranty coverage, namely coverage for repair and replacement costs. However, these warranties might have clauses in the fine print that discuss what happens in a transfer of ownership, so be sure to familiarize yourself with what is written in your warranty.
You may be able to retain third-party warranty coverage through Solar Insure’s SolarDetect program, so long as the products on your roof are on its Approved Vendor List and you're in a covered service area. Participating in Solar Insure’s program gives you access to a network of companies that will perform maintenance and service on your system, even if your solar company goes out of business.
Manufacturer warranty
Your equipment should still be covered under manufacturers’ warranties. SunPower installations used equipment from multiple manufacturers. Here are a few manufacturers that have expressed they will continue to honor their warranties for SunPower customers:
Enphase: Enphase will honor the product warranty on its microinverters used in SunPower installations. Email: spwrquery@enphaseenergy.com
Maxeon: Maxeon will provide warranty support for SunPower-branded solar it has manufactured. Website: https://maxeon.com/us/sunpower-warranty
Qcells: Qcells will honor associated product and performance warranties of products used in SunPower installations. Website: https://www.qpartnerus.com/qpp/s/login/
Fronius: Fronius will provide warranty coverage for SunPower systems using Fronius IG Plus A inverters and/or SunPower SPR inverters that were manufactured by Fronius. Email: pv-support-usa@fronius.com
REC Solar: REC Solar will honor the product warranties for REC420AA Pure-R panels that were used in SunPower systems. Email: https://recgroup.com/en-us/contact
Fimer: Fimer’s Aurora PVI model units installed as part of SunPower systems will be covered by Fimer’s product warranty. Website: https://www.fimer.com/contacts/contact-us/submit-your-inquiry
This is not a complete list of the brands used by SunPower, just those that are confirmed to still honor manufacturer warranties associated with products installed by SunPower.
SunPower was known for its high-quality products and services. Your installation was likely done to SunPower’s high standard, which means there should be very little to worry about in terms of warranty claims. According to our Solar Industry Survey, the top after-installation repairs are related to inverter hardware replacement and software issues, which your manufacturer warranty would cover.
What happens to your SunPower lease or PPA agreement?
Right now, SunPower is still the servicer for solar lease and PPA contracts through a partnership with Launch Servicing and SunStrong Management. You will continue to receive bills through your online billing portal.
SunStrong is also facilitating system maintenance. It’s unclear how long SunStrong will take to process requests and repair systems.
When a solar company files for bankruptcy, its solar lease and PPA agreements are sold as assets and taken over by another company. This process is relatively common when solar companies liquidate their assets, and consumer transition is typically seamless.
What if your SunPower system currently needs repairs?
SunPower is currently unable to service malfunctioning systems. It also shut down its service request hotline and online chat services.
Purchased solar systems (cash and loans)
Homeowners who purchased their systems with cash or a loan can get them serviced by any solar servicing company willing to do the work. If a SunPower dealer installed your system, it may be worthwhile to start there when looking for help with repairs and maintenance.
There are also Operations and Maintenance companies that may take on the project. SunPower has a list of service providers who can help with systems that were purchased via cash or a loan here.
You can also contact the manufacturer of your equipment to see if they have any partners willing to take on the project.
Power purchase agreements (PPA) and leased systems
If you have a SunPower lease or PPA and you need a repair, it seems as though SunStrong Management will facilitate repairs. However, it’s unclear how long it will take until help is deployed.
You cannot seek third-party repairs for a leased or PPA system, as it could potentially lead to a breach of contract.
Homeowners who purchased their systems with cash or a loan can get them serviced by any solar servicing company willing to do the work. If a SunPower dealer installed your system, it may be worthwhile to start there when looking for help with repairs and maintenance. You can also contact the manufacturer of your equipment to see if they have any partners willing to take on the project.
Can I still monitor my SunPower system's performance?
According to SunPower, its monitoring software will continue to work through the mySunPower app. However, you cannot use the app to request services or maintenance.
If your SunPower system was installed with Enphase microinverters, you may be able to switch to Enphase’s monitoring platform. However, Enphase inverters from 2018 or earlier might not have the ability to be modified and switched to the current Enphase monitoring systems. For more information, call Enphase or email spwrquery@enphaseenergy.com and have your inverter model on hand.
What do I do about my SunPower SunVault battery system?
The SunVault situation is very complex, as the batteries are SunPower branded and utilize components from multiple manufacturers that have been modified for SunPower’s use.
For example, the SunVault contains an inverter from Schneider Electric, but because of SunPower’s modifications, Schneider cannot offer warranty coverage.
It’s also unclear how/if SunPower will continue to provide necessary software for the systems. Many claims for SunVaults are related to software issues.
Some tech-savvy owners have modified their batteries for local control using customer software and small computers, like a Raspberry Pi. However, this may get tricky if you are participating in incentive programs or a Virtual Power Plant.
It’s best to consult with a solar professional about options for moving forward with your SunPower battery system.
So, what now?
Unfortunately, much of this is a waiting game. The SunPower bankruptcy situation is still developing, and it’s hard to say the exact direction SunPower will take and what will happen next. The best thing for you to do is know all of the details of your system.
Knowledge is power—the more you understand about your specific situation, the better you can handle the next steps that come from SunPower.
SolarReviews will continue to monitor the situation at SunPower to provide homeowners with the most up-to-date information possible.
Catherine has been researching and reporting on the solar industry for five years and is the Written Content Manager at SolarReviews. She leads a dynamic team in producing informative and engaging content on residential solar to help homeowners make informed decisions about investing in solar panels. Catherine’s expertise has garnered attention from leading industry publications, with her work being featured in Solar Today Magazine and Solar ...
Learn more about Catherine Lane