SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ: SPWR) today announced that is has extended its long-standing partnership with Toshiba through 2018. Toshiba has sold SunPower Corporation's world leading technology solar panels since 2010, making Toshiba the efficiency leader in the Japanese residential market.

Under the terms of the master supply agreement, SunPower will provide more than 100 megawatts of its highest-efficiency residential solar panels annually exclusively to Toshiba.  Toshiba will offer solar systems with SunPower's highest efficiency solar modules in the rapidly growing Japanese residential market.  Since the company first partnered with Toshiba in 2010, it has delivered more than 150 MW of its high-performance solar panels.

"Toshiba has become a leading provider of high efficiency solar systems to the Japanese residential market and this extended agreement means we will continue to deliver the most reliable photovoltaic systems in the country for years to come," said Toshiba Executive Officer, Corporate Vice President, Takeshi Yokota.  "We greatly value our partnership with SunPower and the opportunity to market their premium product systems."

"Our strong partnership with Toshiba has been instrumental in our rapid growth in the Japanese residential market," said Tom Werner, SunPower Corporation president and CEO. "Extending our partnership through 2018 provides further certainty in a region that values our high efficiency, high reliability, guaranteed performance solar panels."

About SunPower Corporation
SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ: SPWR) 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, Africa and Asia. For more information, visit www.sunpowercorp.com.

SunPower Corporation Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Forward-looking statements are statements that do not represent historical facts and may be based on underlying assumptions. SunPower Corporation uses words and phrases such as "agreement," "will" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements in this press release, including forward-looking statements regarding the sale of more than 100 megawatts of solar panels to Toshiba and extending its relationship with Toshiba through 2018.  Such forward-looking statements are based on information available to the company as of the date of this release and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, some beyond the company's control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by these forward-looking statements, including risks and uncertainties such as: (i) the company's ability to obtain and maintain an adequate supply of raw materials; (ii) general business and economic conditions, and the growth in the Japanese market for SunPower products; (iii) the continuation of governmental and related economic incentives promoting the use of solar power; (iv) manufacturing difficulties; (v) Toshiba's continued business relationship with SunPower; and (vi) other risks described in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 1, 2012 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended April 1, 2012, July 1, 2012 and September 30, 2012 and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the company's views as of any subsequent date, and the company is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any responsibility to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE SunPower Corp.