In June, we will be launching a new tool: the EnergySage Buyer’s Guide. Similar to comparing appliances on Home Depot’s website or evaluating cars on Consumer Reports, the EnergySage Buyer’s Guide will allow shoppers and installers to easily compare the quality, aesthetics, performance and pricing across various types of solar equipment. Users will be able to sort, filter, and compare all solar panels, inverters, and home batteries available in the market today. This tool will be made publicly available and completely free to use.
As a part of this new product launch, we’ve also updated our existing equipment rating system. These ratings will be visible throughout the Buyer’s Guide to help users to better research and understand the varying quality scores of today’s solar products.
Updating the EnergySage-NREL equipment rating system
In 2014, EnergySage developed a first-of-its-kind classification system for solar panels. The rating system, which was developed in conjunction with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), helped solar shoppers understand the quality of the solar panels included in their quotes and why some may cost more or less than others. In 2016, we updated this rating system to better reflect the performance and availability of new equipment in the market.
Now three years later, we are updating this rating system once more. In order to maintain its accuracy and objectivity, EnergySage worked with NREL to update all scoring criteria. This most recent EnergySage-NREL project spanned over 12 months of careful research and analysis. The result is an updated rating system for solar panels, and, for the first time, a new rating system for inverters and energy storage systems. All ratings will be at the product-level and visible within the new EnergySage Buyer’s Guide and existing EnergySage Solar Marketplace.
This updated rating system moves from a six-tier ranking (Economy, Economy+, Standard, Standard+, Premium, Premium+) to a five-tier ranking (Poor, Fair, Good, Very Good, Excellent). The ranges for all metrics have been updated to reflect current industry standards.
Solar panel ratings
The previous panel rating system scored individual modules based upon the following metrics: efficiency, temperature coefficient, and product warranty length. The new rating system keeps the same structure and adds three new metrics – annual panel degradation rates, power tolerance, and performance warranty length.
Inverter ratings
Similar to panel ratings, inverters are scored based on their efficiency and warranty. Additionally, an inverter’s nighttime consumption and voltage range are taken into account in its quality rating.
Solar battery ratings
The solar battery rating system scores batteries from Poor to Excellent according to efficiency, warranty, degradation rate, useable capacity, and maximum charge and discharge power.
F.A.Q.
When is EnergySage launching the Buyer’s Guide?
We plan to launch the Buyer’s Guide in June. We’ll be sending email communication out to all of our installer partners and active consumers shopping in the Marketplace when the Buyer’s Guide goes live.
How can I add equipment to the Buyer’s Guide?
If you’d like to quote a solar panel, inverter, or battery that’s not available in the Buyer’s Guide, email the relevant product spec sheets to your Partner Success Manager, or email the full team at installersuccess@energysage.com. They will follow up with you as soon as the product is live in the EnergySage Buyer’s Guide.
How do these changes impact my quotes on the Marketplace?
All quotes in the Marketplace will reflect the new rating system for solar panels, along with new ratings for inverters. As you’re submitting new quotes to customers, you’ll be asked to indicate the specific inverter module, rather than simply selecting the inverter manufacturer. Your quotes will include links to individual product pages within the EnergySage Buyer’s Guide for both panels and inverters. This Buyer’s Guide will help shoppers better understand the equipment being offered in their quotes, and is a valuable resource for installers to utilize when planning for future inventory purchases.
Further questions? We’re here to help.
If you have any further questions about this new tool, we encourage you to reach out to your Partner Success Manager, or simply email installersuccess@energysage.com. We are committed to working with you to ensure the transition to the new rating system is as smooth as possible.
Sincerely,
Georg Bettenhauser
VP Sales & Supplier Partnerships