Grape Solar expands Costco partnership
By Erik Siemers, Business Journal staff writer
Business Journal staff writer
Solar panel manufacturer Grape Solar on Tuesday said its home solar energy systems are now being sold online by Costco Wholesale Corp.
The development gives the Eugene-based company nationwide distribution and puts it nearer to its goal of making solar power systems more accessible to American consumers.
“For the first time, a leading retailer with numerous locations, quality recognition and tens of millions of loyal customers has made it possible for end users to buy high-quality solar products at great prices and have the products delivered directly to their homes in a matter of days,” Ocean Yuan, Grape Solar’s president, said in a news release.
Launched two years ago as Centron Solar, the company is a consortium of several dozen Chinese manufacturers involved in the solar energy supply chain.
At its launch, Yuan, former president of Chinese cell and module-maker SolarFun Holdings Ltd.’s U.S. operations, set out on a low-cost strategy to deliver a product that appealed to cost-conscious households.
Grape’s partnership with Issaquah, Wash.-based Costco began in July, when it began offering just solar panels inside Costco Warehouse stores in nine test markets, including Washington and Oregon.
Distribution expanded to several other key markets and Grape panels are now available in more than 60 bricks-and-mortar Costco stores nationwide, said spokeswoman Sara Thomas.
Costco.com will have an expanded offering featuring Grape's complete home solar power kit, a grid-tied system that includes panels, inverters and racking systems.
The company has a network of more than 5,000 installers nationwide to provide installation services and customer support.
“Costco.com provides us with a borderless platform to offer their customers with a wide selection of solar panels and related products at prices that finally make economic sense for the average American home owner,” Yuan said in a news release.
Grape Solar spent 2010 pursuing partnerships to expand its reach across the United States and into Canada.
@ErikSiemers | esiemers@bizjournals.com | 503-219-3418
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