Other renewables

Sun power charging up Nissan LEAF

Nissan Electric Vehicles LEAF Charges up With Solar Energy. Nissan and SunPower will team up to help Nissan LEAF™ electric car owners learn how a residential solar power system from SunPower can control the cost of charging their electric cars. LEAF™ Website Educates Customers on Reducing Emissions with SunPower Solar Power Systems. In a collaboration announced today, Nissan North America and SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWRA, SPWRB) will team up to help Nissan LEAF™ electric car owners learn how a residential solar power system from SunPower can reduce their carbon emissions and control the cost of charging their electric vehicles.

The two companies are offering new online content, including a video tutorial that describes how solar power systems convert sunlight into clean, renewable power for use in the home and for charging electric vehicles. Visitors to the site will be able to request a free home solar assessment from a local SunPower dealer.

‘Nissan LEAF™ owners are conscientious about their energy use, and it makes sense for them to understand how they can offset the power that their all-electric LEAF™ requires with clean, renewable solar power generated from their own rooftop,’ said Brendan Jones, director, Nissan LEAF™ marketing and sales strategy, Nissan North America. ‘SunPower is the leading manufacturer and installer of residential solar power systems in the United States, and offers the most efficient solar power technology on the market today. For example, a 2.5-kilowatt SunPower rooftop solar system may offset the power required to drive a LEAF™ about 10,000 miles a year. We are pleased to work with SunPower on this initiative, and look forward to a long partnership.’

‘Solar power is a reliable, cost-effective technology for homeowners today,’ said SunPower President and CEO Tom Werner. ‘High efficiency SunPower systems are guaranteed to perform over the long term, maximizing the power generated and the monthly savings. I power my own 100 percent electric Nissan LEAF™ with a SunPower system, eliminating trips to the gas station while significantly reducing my electricity bill.’

In North America, Nissan’s operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program 2010 and has been recognized as a 2010 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWRA, SPWRB) designs, manufactures and delivers the highest efficiency, highest reliability solar panels and systems available today. Residential, business, government and utility customers rely on the company’s quarter century of experience and guaranteed performance to provide maximum return on investment throughout the life of the solar system. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., SunPower has offices in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia.

By José Santamarta, www.sunpowercorp.com