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Premium Performance

Max 54-cell

490–505 W · 54-cell · N-type silicon · Rear contact · Dual-glass · Monofacial

SunPowerReleased 2026

60/ 100

Good

Global

Back-Contact Cell24.7% EfficiencyClass-Leading Temp Coeff15+ Yrs Field-Proven

The verdict. In our Premium Performance class, SunPower Max 54-cell leads on architecture & design.

53thof 53 in Premium PerformanceBottom quarterclass average 67.5
Compare this panelAsk Watt →
Series anchor in research. HSM-BE54-HD is absent from the current CER export and the current Australian warranty names BE52, not BE54. The 505 W anchor is a technical datasheet reference, not an Australian availability or warranty claim. Scored model: HSM-BE54-HD505; checked 2026-08-07. Evidence.

The assessment

How it scores, by category

Architecture & Design94
Efficiency & Yield60
Durability (verified)46
Performance & Degradation40
Guarantee & Backbone66
Sustainability47

Market position

53thof 53 in Premium PerformanceBottom quarter
606076

Our reading

Max 54-cell scores 60, placing 53 of 53 in the Premium Performance class against a class average of 67.5. Its strongest scoring dimension is architecture & design (94), running 8.0 points above the class average on this dimension. Performance & Degradation scores 40, the lowest pillar for this product. The class average on performance & degradation is 78. Underlying specifications include a module efficiency of 24.7%, N-type back-contact silicon cell technology.

The data

Power
505W
Efficiency
24.7%
Cell
N-type back-contact sili
Temp coeff
-0.26%/°C
Technology architecture

N-type silicon module

Architecture guide

Produces DC electricity at the roof. It contains no system-level power conversion or storage.

Product role
None in the module.
Published range
490–505 W
Electrical layer
DC module output
Construction
Rear contact, Monofacial, Dual-glass
Architecture describes the product boundary. It is not a system design or an equipment-pairing decision.
Before you buy
Local positionUse a market view to check local availability, approvals and warranty scope.
Ask the installerWill the quote name the exact Max 54-cell model and wattage, and who covers labour if the module warranty is used?

Verification & sources

Market context

Global evidencechange in the site menu

Global benchmark. This scorecard is benchmarked globally. A global score does not imply local availability, certification, warranty coverage, or installer compatibility.

Sources & references · checked 2026-09-02

Strong evidence coverage

20 of 20 scored criteria link directly to a published source.

Values marked estimated, derived, or not found remain visible on the audit sheet and do not carry the same evidential weight as a linked source. Coverage measures direct links, not an independent guarantee that a claim is correct.

Record revision. SunPower Max AU Rev B June 2026, Australian warranty effective 1 July 2026 and CER export checked 2026-08-07 Rechecked 2026-08-29: the current CER module export still contains neither HSM-BE54-HD nor HSM-BE52-HD, and the 1 July 2026 Australian warranty table still names HSM-BE52-HD490-505 only. India existing-catalogue panel ALMM review 2026-09-02: IN overlays recorded against List-I revision 03.08.2026; scores unchanged.

Change ledger

Product record history

5 changes to this record · 28 products changed in this update
  1. Evidence added

    IN Support Note

    Before
    Not previously recorded
    After
    The exact scored model HSM-BE54-HD505 is not named on ALMM List-I revision 03.08.2026. ALMM is a domestic-content and procurement instrument; absence is not a quality finding and does not change the global score. A manufacturer catalogue is not a substitute for List-I. Existing AU, US, DE or EU warranty terms are not transferred. HSM-BE52 is a different identity and is not transferred.
    IN market evidenceIN market evidence
  2. Evidence added

    IN Status

    Before
    Not previously recorded
    After
    unavailable
    IN market evidenceIN market evidence
  3. Record updated

    Source revision

    Current text
    SunPower Max AU Rev B June 2026, Australian warranty effective 1 July 2026 and CER export checked 2026-08-07 Rechecked 2026-08-29: the current CER module export still contains neither HSM-BE54-HD nor HSM-BE52-HD, and the 1 July 2026 Australian warranty table still names HSM-BE52-HD490-505 only. India existing-catalogue panel ALMM review 2026-09-02: IN overlays recorded against List-I revision 03.08.2026; scores unchanged.

    The previous text is not reproduced here: both versions run to a full research paragraph. Both are in the JSON record linked below.

    Primary datasheet
  4. Evidence added

    IN Certifications

    Before
    Not previously recorded
    After
    The exact scored model HSM-BE54-HD505 is not named on ALMM List-I revision 03.08.2026. Cited source_version in-almm-module-2026-08-03-ffdfc4d1f767.
    IN market evidenceIN market evidence
  5. Evidence added

    IN Evidence sources

    Before
    Not previously recorded
    After
    https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s3716e1b8c6cd17b771da77391355749f3/uploads/2026/08/202608031426164762.pdf; https://mnre.gov.in/en/approved-list-of-models-and-manufacturers-almm/
    IN market evidenceIN market evidence
2 changes to this record · 109 products changed in this update
  1. Record updated

    Global score

    Before
    60.3
    After
    59.6
    Primary datasheet
  2. Record updated

    Efficiency & Yield pillar score

    Before
    64.3
    After
    60.5
    Primary datasheet
4 changes to this record · 3 products changed in this update
  1. Record updated

    AU Support Note

    Current text
    SunPower still publishes the Australian BE54 datasheet and installer pathways, and SunPower Corporation Australia Pty Limited remains active. Those facts do not cure the exact model-code mismatch or establish CER eligibility. The product remains an evidence-pending technical reference rather than a current Australian purchase option.

    The previous text is not reproduced here: both versions run to a full research paragraph. Both are in the JSON record linked below.

    Verified reliabilityAU market evidence+6 in JSON record
  2. Record updated

    AU Certifications

    Before
    The exact BE54 datasheet lists IEC 61215 and IEC 61730, but neither HSM-BE54-HD nor the warranty's HSM-BE52-HD family appears in the current CER export.
    After
    Rechecked 29 August 2026: the current CER approved-module export still contains neither HSM-BE54-HD nor the warranty table's HSM-BE52-HD family. The exact BE54 datasheet lists IEC 61215 and IEC 61730.
    Verified reliabilityAU market evidence+6 in JSON record
  3. Record updated

    AU Warranty scope

    Current text
    Held for the exact family. Rechecked 29 August 2026: the Australian warranty effective 1 July 2026 is provided by TCL Zhonghuan Energy Technology (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. and administered by SunPower Corporation Australia Pty Limited, but its exhaustive table still names HSM-BE52-HD490-505 rather than HSM-BE54-HD490-505. No product term, power term, service remedy or transfer right is assigned to the BE54 record.

    The previous text is not reproduced here: both versions run to a full research paragraph. Both are in the JSON record linked below.

    Verified reliabilityAU market evidence+6 in JSON record
  4. Record updated

    Source revision

    Before
    SunPower Max AU Rev B June 2026, Australian warranty effective 1 July 2026 and CER export checked 2026-08-07
    After
    SunPower Max AU Rev B June 2026, Australian warranty effective 1 July 2026 and CER export checked 2026-08-07 Rechecked 2026-08-29: the current CER module export still contains neither HSM-BE54-HD nor HSM-BE52-HD, and the 1 July 2026 Australian warranty table still names HSM-BE52-HD490-505 only.
    Primary datasheet
2 changes to this record · 118 products changed in this update
  1. Record updated

    Independent energy yield

    Before
    Not independently yield-tested
    After
    No public independent yield result found in reviewed sources
    Verified reliabilityIndependent energy yield+3 in JSON record
  2. Record updated

    Independent energy yield: Evidence sources

    Before
    https://www.sunpowerglobal.com/au/documents
    After
    https://scorecard.pvel.com/methodology/; https://scorecard.pvel.com/top-performers/; https://scorecard.pvel.com/wp-content/uploads/2022-PVEL-PV-Module-Reliability-Scorecard-Summary.pdf; https://scorecard.pvel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024-PV-Module-Reliability-Scorecard.pdf
    Verified reliabilityIndependent energy yield+3 in JSON record
1 change to this record · 65 products changed in this update
  1. Record updated

    Durability (verified) pillar score

    Before
    45.9
    After
    46
    Primary datasheet
9 changes to this record · 106 products changed in this update
  1. Evidence removed

    Damp heat extended (2000h): Evidence status

    Before
    sourced
    After
    No longer recorded
    Primary datasheet
  2. Evidence removed

    Awards: Evidence status

    Before
    reviewed_absence
    After
    No longer recorded
    Verified reliability
  3. Record updated

    Durability (verified) pillar score

    Before
    46.9
    After
    45.9
    Primary datasheet
  4. Evidence removed

    Awards

    Before
    Not Listed
    After
    No longer recorded
    Verified reliability
  5. Record updated

    Global score

    Before
    59.3
    After
    60.3
    Primary datasheet
  6. Evidence removed

    Damp heat extended (2000h): Evidence sources

    Before
    https://pub-493f128c789642909ff4ab27a5f41128.r2.dev/product-datasheets/au/AU_SunPower_Max_Datasheet_490-505W.pdf
    After
    No longer recorded
    Primary datasheet
  7. Evidence removed

    Awards: Evidence sources

    Before
    https://www.sunpowerglobal.com/au/documents
    After
    No longer recorded
    Verified reliability
  8. Record updated

    Architecture & Design pillar score

    Before
    88.3
    After
    94.5
    Primary datasheet
  9. Evidence removed

    Damp heat extended (2000h)

    Before
    1000h IEC 61215 standard
    After
    No longer recorded
    Primary datasheet

This is review.solar's publication history. It does not claim the product changed on the recorded date, and it excludes compatibility, system pairing, installation suitability and relative leaderboard prose. Open the complete JSON record.

Evidence timeline

Recorded verification events for this scorecard. These are evidence checks, not historical score snapshots.

  1. Core scorecard evidence checked
  2. IN market evidence checked
  3. AU market evidence checked
  4. Series benchmark evidence checked

Evidence record (JSON)

Scored by Solar Analytica Research

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