--- title: "ARTsolar vs Kensol - Brand Comparison | ComparePV" description: "Compare ARTsolar vs Kensol solar panels: full portfolio, efficiency, cell technology breakdown, warranty terms and company background." source: "https://comparepv.com/artsolar-vs-kensol" --- # ARTsolar vs Kensol Kensol has the broader catalog (21 vs 0 models). Kensol leans bifacial (81% of lineup). ## The two companies | Attribute | ARTsolar | Kensol | | --- | --- | --- | | Country | South Africa | Poland | | Headquarters | Durban | Gliwice | | Founded | 2010 | 2014 | | Employees | | null | | Annual capacity | | null GW/year | | Tier 1 | no | | | Listed | | | | Website | [https://www.artsolar.co.za](https://www.artsolar.co.za) | [https://kensol.pl](https://kensol.pl) | Kensol is a Polish company founded in 2014 that focuses on providing innovative, ecological, and economical solutions for the renewable energy sector. They design equipment tailored to the needs of the Polish market, specializing in photovoltaic (PV) and heating (HVAC) systems. Kensol offers modern and integrated... ## Catalog & Power | Measure | ARTsolar | Kensol | Margin | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Panel Models | 0 | 21 | +21 | | Max Power | 0 W | 460 W | +460 W | | Avg Power | 0 W | 437 W | +437 W | ## Efficiency | Measure | ARTsolar | Kensol | Margin | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Max Efficiency | - | 23.00% | | | Avg Efficiency | - | 22.04% | | ## Reliability & Warranty | Measure | ARTsolar | Kensol | Margin | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Avg Temp Coefficient | - | -0.296%/°C | | | Bifacial Share | 0 (0%) | 17 (81%) | +81 pp | | Avg Warranty | - | 29.0 yrs | | ## Efficiency distribution Kensol skews to higher efficiency: 10% of lineup is 23%+ | Efficiency band | ARTsolar | Kensol | | --- | --- | --- | | 20-21% | 0 | 2 (9.5%) | | 21-22% | 0 | 6 (28.6%) | | 22-23% | 0 | 11 (52.4%) | | 23%+ | 0 | 2 (9.5%) | ## Power distribution | Power band | ARTsolar | Kensol | | --- | --- | --- | | \<400W | 0 | 1 (4.8%) | | 400-499W | 0 | 20 (95.2%) | ## Cell technology Dominant cell tech: **N-type** (29%) | Technology | ARTsolar | Kensol | | --- | --- | --- | | Unknown | 0 | 8 (38.1%) | | N-type | 0 | 6 (28.6%) | | TOPCon | 0 | 5 (23.8%) | | PERC | 0 | 2 (9.5%) | ## Top panels, Kensol | # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | [MNHTR2-BI-460](https://comparepv.com/panel/kensol-mnhtr2-bi-460) | 460 | 23.0 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline | | 2 | [MNHTR2-BI 460](https://comparepv.com/panel/kensol-mnhtr2-bi-460-1) | 460 | 23.0 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline | | 3 | [MNHTR2-BI-455](https://comparepv.com/panel/kensol-mnhtr2-bi-455) | 455 | 22.8 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline | | 4 | [MNHTR2-BI 455](https://comparepv.com/panel/kensol-mnhtr2-bi-455-1) | 455 | 22.8 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline | | 5 | [MNHTR2-BI-450](https://comparepv.com/panel/kensol-mnhtr2-bi-450) | 450 | 22.5 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline | | 6 | [KS450MNHTR3-BI](https://comparepv.com/panel/kensol-ks450mnhtr3-bi) | 450 | 22.5 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline | | 7 | [MNHTR2-BI 450](https://comparepv.com/panel/kensol-mnhtr2-bi-450-1) | 450 | 22.5 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline | | 8 | [MNHTR2-BI-445](https://comparepv.com/panel/kensol-mnhtr2-bi-445) | 445 | 22.3 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline | | 9 | [KS445MNHTR3-BI](https://comparepv.com/panel/kensol-ks445mnhtr3-bi) | 445 | 22.3 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline | | 10 | [MNHTR2-BI 445](https://comparepv.com/panel/kensol-mnhtr2-bi-445-1) | 445 | 22.3 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline | ## Summary ARTsolar is a South African module assembler founded in 2010 and headquartered in Durban. It operates as the country's only locally owned solar panel manufacturer and has progressively scaled its facility through technology-transfer partnerships, first with LONGi Solar and Talesun, and most recently with JA Solar - a deal announced in June 2025 that upgraded its Durban line to a 340 MW annual assembly capacity. Modules produced under these arrangements carry Tier 1-quality ratings backed by the partner brands' certifications, giving projects access to lender comfort normally reserved for globally bankable suppliers. Kensol is a Polish manufacturer (Kensol Sp. z o.o.) based in Gliwice, operating under the parent company Keno Sp. z o.o. It is a smaller, regionally focused player that does not appear on major BloombergNEF or widely cited Tier 1 lists, and its institutional footprint is correspondingly more limited than ARTsolar's partnership-backed position. On the product side, ARTsolar's catalog covers a wide output range and currently centers on large-format monocrystalline modules assembled using JA Solar cell technology. The primary market is South African utility and commercial procurement programs where local content requirements create a structural advantage for domestic assembly. Kensol's confirmed lineup consists of monocrystalline PERC modules in the 395-475 Wp range, with efficiency figures between roughly 21% and 21.2% per ENF Solar datasheets. The brand targets European residential and commercial rooftop installations and distributes through regional European channels, making it essentially invisible outside that geography. For a buyer operating in South Africa or seeking compliance with the country's local-content procurement rules, ARTsolar is the more logical choice, primarily because its JA Solar partnership provides both production scale and bankability cover. For a European rooftop buyer, Kensol is a plausible mid-tier option, but the absence of global Tier 1 recognition means that more established European-market brands would typically be preferred for larger or financed projects. The two brands address almost entirely different geographies and procurement contexts, so a direct substitution scenario is unlikely in practice. \---LINKS--- \- https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/06/17/ja-solar-artsolar-agree-to-expand-pv-module-manufacturing-in-south-africa/ \| JA Solar, ARTsolar agree to expand PV module manufacturing in South Africa \| article \- https://renewafrica.biz/news/solar/longi-solar-partners-with-south-african-solar-pv-panel-maker-artsolar/ \| LONGi Solar partners with South African solar PV panel maker ARTsolar \| article \- https://www.enfsolar.com/kensol \| Kensol Sp. z o.o. - Solar Panels - Poland - ENF Solar \| article \- https://oxpeckers.org/2025/11/solar-court-case/ \| Court case tackles not-so-proudly-South African solar power - Oxpeckers \| article \- https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/artsolar-and-ja-solar-driving-south-africas-renewable-energy-revolution-2025-06-12 \| ARTsolar and JA Solar - Driving South Africa's renewable energy revolution \| article Written by claude-sonnet from the figures above. ## Other comparisons - [ARTsolar vs A.B. Energy](https://comparepv.com/artsolar-vs-a-b-energy) - [AE Solar vs Kensol](https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-kensol) - [ARTsolar vs AEET](https://comparepv.com/artsolar-vs-aeet) - [AIKO vs Kensol](https://comparepv.com/aiko-vs-kensol) - [ARTsolar vs AKCOME](https://comparepv.com/artsolar-vs-akcome) - [ASM vs Kensol](https://comparepv.com/asm-vs-kensol) --- Source: https://comparepv.com/artsolar-vs-kensol