SunPower, a Major Solar Installer, Went Bankrupt. What Now? [CNET]

One of the top national solar companies is now selling assets and winding down operations. This is what SunPower customers need to know.

In the energy industry, it’s known as the solar coaster: The ups and downs in the solar industry that can cause companies to grow quickly and fade just as fast. So far in 2024, customers of more than one big installer have felt those big downhill drops.

The latest solar giant to run into struggles is SunPower Solar, one of CNET’s picks for best national solar companies. The company is now filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and selling most of its assets in an organization-wide restructuring, according to a recent statement.

As part of the bankruptcy, Complete Solaria will buy SunPower’s Blue Raven Solar and New Homes subsidiaries, as well as other parts of the SunPower dealer network.

“In light of the challenges SunPower has faced, the proposed transaction offers a significant opportunity for key parts of our business to continue our legacy under new ownership,” SunPower Executive Chairman Tom Werner said in the announcement. “We are working to secure long-term solutions for the remaining areas of our business, while maintaining our focus on supporting our valued employees, customers, dealers, builders, and partners.”

For customers of SunPower, the news raises questions, chiefly: What happens to my solar panels?

Here’s what you need to know about SunPower Solar, and the information you’ll need if your chosen solar installer happens to go out of business.

What we know about the state of SunPower Solar

Two weeks ago, SunPower notified California of its intent to lay off 290 employees in the state. In the company’s WARN notice, it attributed the layoffs to “recent financial circumstances.”

“SunPower is working as hard as possible to pursue a long-term solution for the Company in the coming weeks in order to avoid certain of such layoffs,” the company said. “However, at this time, there is no guarantee that the Company will be able to do so or that all employees would be retained.”

SunPower recently ceased solar leasing and power purchase agreement operations in July. The change took effect immediately after the announcement. Reuters was first to report on the end of SunPower’s leasing and PPAs after letters SunPower sent to dealers emerged in investment notes (PDF), downgrading the company’s stock.

CNET’s review of SunPower praises the solar equipment the company provides, though notes that many of the company’s products and services might be priced out of many people’s reach. The Maxeon panels the company offers (produced by a business that spun off from SunPower in 2020) are some of the most efficient solar panels on the market. The end of solar leasing and power purchase agreements has removed these cheaper financing options available to SunPower customers.  

In February, the company was subpoenaed by the US Securities and Exchange Commission for more information regarding allegations of financial misconduct by senior executives. SunPower’s CEO resigned that month. Its auditor, Ernst & Young, quit in June.

The company cut other business lines, including direct sales, in April. That month, SunPower underwent a much larger round of layoffs, letting go about 1,000 workers.

What remains unclear for SunPower Solar customers

While Complete Solaria has bought Blue Raven Solar, New Homes and other parts of the SunPower dealer network and thus assumed the liability of continuing existing service and operation for customers of those businesses, we don’t yet know the full scope of assets being purchased from SunPower.

There’s no clear indication of what assets SunPower is selling to Complete Solaria or liquidating elsewhere.

It still remains unclear what will happen with existing solar leases and PPAs after those operations were ceased, or how the recent layoffs might affect service for SunPower customers in the Bay Area.

CNET has reached out to SunPower for comment. 

When a solar company is pulling out of the market, people typically have questions about the continuation of their products and services. What happens to the solar panels installed on your home? What about the warranties?

While SunPower has not commented on these particular issues, here is some general advice to help you prepare in the case that your solar installer drops out of the market.

What do you need to know if your solar company goes out of business?

The best way to avoid getting caught off guard by a solar company shake-up is to be prepared before it happens. Here are some of the situations you might find yourself in — and how to make sense of them.

What happens to the warranties on your solar equipment?

The simplest answer to this question is: If you have a warranty with the actual equipment manufacturer (for example, a warranty with Maxeon) you shouldn’t have any problems if your installer drops out of the business. If you’re not sure if your warranty is with the equipment manufacturer or your solar installer, you’re going to have to call up and ask some questions.

In the wake of SunPower’s bankruptcy announcement, Maxeon has released a blog post clarifying that the company has been completely independent of SunPower since 2020. The company reaffirmed that it will honor product warranties for SunPower branded solar panels the same way they would have been honored prior to the bankruptcy announcement.

If your warranty is with your solar installer, however, that’s where things can get more complicated. In selling you that warranty, the solar company should be obligated to honor it under any circumstances. In many cases, there’ll be fine print in the paperwork that explains how a transfer of the warranty will look. The good news is that means that reputable solar companies should still be covering your warranties on the chance that they go under.

Now would be a good time to take out those documents you have stashed away and start combing through them to figure out how that transfer would work in your particular case. As always, if you have any questions, it’s best to call your installer and square them away before an issue arises.

What if you have a solar lease or a power purchase agreement?

If you have a solar loan or solar lease independent of your solar installer, then nothing about your agreement should change. You’ll continue making payments as if nothing happened.

If your solar lease is contracted through your solar installer, the lease should be transferred to another company. The same goes for power purchase agreements; you should be able to keep your arrangement while making payments to another company.

If you’ve contracted with a reputable solar company, all of these details should be accounted for in your signed paperwork. If you can’t find any information about where your solar leases or power purchase agreements would be transferred in the event that your solar installer goes under, you need to start making phone calls in order to protect yourself ahead of time.

Why is this happening now? And should it affect your choice to go solar?

SunPower is the longest-tenured national US solar company, founded in 1985. The company is one of a small handful of solar panel installers that operates in all 50 states.

While the US saw a record number of residential solar installations in 2023, market changes have led to a contraction in new rooftop solar thus far in 2024. California’s NEM 3.0 policy has been especially catastrophic, stifling solar growth in one of its biggest markets.

The energy consulting firm Wood Mackenzie expects the residential solar market to shrink by 14% this year, with California’s changes mostly to blame.

While some solar companies may be struggling with current market conditions, this may be one of the best times for US residents to switch to solar. The Inflation Reduction Act expanded the residential clean energy credit, which allows homeowners who install a solar panel system to recoup 30% of its cost come tax season.

If you want to know more about how these financing options could affect your decision to switch to solar, read CNET’s articles about solar leasing and power purchase agreements.