On September 26 Westinghouse Solar announced the release of a new product for homeowners: an “all-in-one” rooftop solar kit.
The kit, called the Westinghouse Solar Power System, takes advantage of falling solar panel prices to provide an affordable, easy to install option for contractors and do-it-yourself (DIY) homeowners.
“What has been lost in the recent news about the solar industry is that solar panels are less than half the price they were just two years ago. These cost reductions are terrific news for consumers,” said Barry Cinnamon, CEO of Westinghouse Solar. “What these dramatically lower prices mean is that ‘going solar’ is now a terrific investment.”
As the technology has become cheaper, the cost of installation is becoming increasingly important – precisely one of the factors Westinghouse took into account when designing this new kit.
Retail trials showed that “the two key issues were, obviously, cost — but also ‘out of the box’ simplicity,” said Jeff Kiel, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Westinghouse Solar. “It’s like buying a ready-to-assemble furniture kit from Ikea. Everything you need except wiring and ordinary tools is included.”
This ‘out of the box’ simplicity, with many features already integrated into the module, means that installation costs will be lower than for traditional home PV systems.
Westinghouse's 20-Pack AC 235 Kit Photo Credit: Westinghouse Solar
Each kit includes:
- Westinghouse Solar AC panels with integrated racking and inverters
- roof brackets with fasteners
- roof flashings, and
- panel splices
A homeowner just needs to hire a licensed professional to provide a code-compliant connection to the home electrical service panel.
The Westinghouse Solar Power System comes in three sizes, and the modular system allows for future additions.
