A $4,750,000 settlement has been reached with SunPower, a solar panel company. The lawsuit behind the class action settlemend alleged that the Solar Modules, or solar panels, that SunPower manufactured, marketed, and sold with factory integrated Subject Microinverters are defective. The lawsuit alleges that these "Microinverters" contained a defective component part manufactured by a third-party that causes
the Microinverters to prematurely degrade and cease to function at the expected level
within a few years of installation, and long before the end of their claimed useful life. In short, this means that SunPower solar systems produced far less power than was anticipated by homeowners who purchased SunPower systems.
The class action lawsuit claims that Settlement Class Members suffered economic losses as a result
of the defective Subject Microinverters because the Solar Modules generate less
power than expected. Thus, consumers may be required to pay higher electric utility bills and
lose the opportunity to earn valuable incentives, including in some states, Solar Renewable
Energy Credits (“SRECs”). Plaintiffs also allege that SunPower's efforts to repair or replace
the defective Subject Microinverters caused property damage to their and other Settlement
Class Members' homes in some cases.
How Do I Qualify?
You qualify, and are therefore a Settlement Class Member if you are a U.S. resident and purchased, for residential
use through a cash or financed transaction, one or more SunPower Solar Modules with factory
integrated Subject Microinverters and currently own or formerly owned a residence on which
the SunPower Solar Modules are installed, or if you are a current owner of any such residence.
What Can I Get?
If the Court grants final approval of the Settlement, SunPower will pay $4,750,000.00 into a
Qualified Settlement Fund. The average payment per Settlement Class Member would be around $173.52.
How Do I File a Claim?
The Claims Filing Deadline has been extended to March 10, 2022. The Court will hold a Final Approval Hearing at 1:30 pm on February 24, 2022, San Jose,
California. The claim form is available on the official claims administrators' Website: MicroinverterSettlement.com
