SunPower, REC Group sign development agreement to build US residential solar panels

The panel is the first to be developed under a new joint development agreement (JDA) signed between the two companies, and is tailored for use in the US; for instance, the panel weights 50 pounds, just under the recommendation set by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of 51 pounds for the maximum safe weight a single worker can be expected to carry.

The companies also noted that they are developing a bifacial variant of the panel, which will have an output of at least 500W.

“We are all excited to partner with market-leader REC on advanced solar systems,” said SunPower chairman and CEO TJ Rodgers. “The new 470W panel and the 500-plus watt bifacial solar panel are engineered to deliver superior system performance and maximise long-term energy production, even under the most demanding environmental conditions.”

The news follows the collapse, and later revival, of the SunPower brand, which is one of the longest-running in the US solar sector. The company declared for bankruptcy in 2024 and parts of its business were purchased by Complete Solaria, which then announced plans to change its name to SunPower and trade under the brand.

SunPower has since reported a number of positive developments, including the raising of US$900 million and the acquisition of fellow residential installers Sunder and Ambia Solar last year.