In 2022, SunPower released the Maxeon 6 range. Known as the M-series in North America, they are built on the same 66-cell format as the five series but use the next generation Maxeon 6 cells to boost efficiency to 22.8%, putting them among the most efficient solar panels ever manufactured for residential use. The new 6 series panels are slightly larger than the five series, coming in at 1032mm wide by 1872mm high. Naturally, power output has also boosted with a 6% increase taking the peak power rating from 415W to 440W. Like the 5-series, the A series version of the Maxeon 6 panel incorporates an Enphase Energy microinverter. To cater for the commercial market, the Maxeon 6 will also be available in a larger 72-cell format with increased power ratings from 450W to 475W.
Maxeon 7 Series – Coming in 2024
Maxeon Solar Technologies recently announced the world’s highest conversion efficiency for a solar panel, reaching up to 24.1% using the next-generation Maxeon IBC cells. These cutting-edge panels, known as SunPower Maxeon 7, have been operational in Spain since December 2023, marking the company’s inaugural installation by Maxeon’s Spanish partner, Lidera Energía, in Granada. The efficiency milestone is attributed to Maxeon’s latest generation of Maxeon Interdigitated Back Contact (IBC) solar panels in a new 112-cell format. These panels come in three variations, delivering power outputs of 435 W, 440 W, and 445 W, with corresponding panel efficiencies of 23.5%, 23.8%, and 24.1%, respectively.
The SunPower Maxeon 7 series features an impressively low power temperature coefficient of just -0.27%/°C, down from the already low -0.29%/°C of the previous generation Maxeon 6 range and just shy of the lowest rating panels from REC. Similar to other Maxeon modules, the 7 Series boasts an impressive 40-year product and power warranty. Its annual degradation rate is just 0.25%, resulting in close to 90% of the original power rating retained after 4 decades of real-world use. The new panels are expected to be released in limited quantities globally by mid-2024.
Download the Maxeon 7 Series Datasheet
