--- title: "ARTsolar vs TCL Zhonghuan - Brand Comparison | ComparePV" description: "Compare ARTsolar vs TCL Zhonghuan solar panels: full portfolio, efficiency, cell technology breakdown, warranty terms and company background." source: "https://comparepv.com/artsolar-vs-tcl-zhonghuan" --- # ARTsolar vs TCL Zhonghuan TCL Zhonghuan has the broader catalog (66 vs 0 models). TCL Zhonghuan leans bifacial (65% of lineup). ## The two companies | Attribute | ARTsolar | TCL Zhonghuan | | --- | --- | --- | | Country | South Africa | China | | Headquarters | Durban | Tianjin | | Founded | 2010 | 1981 | | Employees | | | | Annual capacity | | | | Tier 1 | no | yes | | Listed | | SZSE: 002129 | | Website | [https://www.artsolar.co.za](https://www.artsolar.co.za) | [https://www.tjsemi.com](https://www.tjsemi.com) | ## Catalog & Power | Measure | ARTsolar | TCL Zhonghuan | Margin | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Panel Models | 0 | 66 | +66 | | Max Power | 0 W | 725 W | +725 W | | Avg Power | 0 W | 585 W | +585 W | ## Efficiency | Measure | ARTsolar | TCL Zhonghuan | Margin | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Max Efficiency | - | 24.60% | | | Avg Efficiency | - | 23.13% | | ## Reliability & Warranty | Measure | ARTsolar | TCL Zhonghuan | Margin | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Avg Temp Coefficient | - | -0.273%/°C | | | Bifacial Share | 0 (0%) | 43 (65%) | +65 pp | | Avg Warranty | - | 30.0 yrs | | ## Efficiency distribution TCL Zhonghuan skews to higher efficiency: 58% of lineup is 23%+ | Efficiency band | ARTsolar | TCL Zhonghuan | | --- | --- | --- | | 21-22% | 0 | 1 (1.5%) | | 22-23% | 0 | 27 (40.9%) | | 23%+ | 0 | 38 (57.6%) | ## Power distribution TCL Zhonghuan offers more 600W+ panels (55% of lineup) | Power band | ARTsolar | TCL Zhonghuan | | --- | --- | --- | | 400-499W | 0 | 17 (25.8%) | | 500-599W | 0 | 13 (19.7%) | | 600-699W | 0 | 24 (36.4%) | | 700W+ | 0 | 12 (18.2%) | ## Cell technology Dominant cell tech: **Back Contact** (45%) | Technology | ARTsolar | TCL Zhonghuan | | --- | --- | --- | | Back Contact | 0 | 30 (45.5%) | | TOPCon | 0 | 30 (45.5%) | | N-type | 0 | 6 (9.1%) | ## Top panels, TCL Zhonghuan | # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | [HSM-ND66-GK725 (IEC1500V)](https://comparepv.com/panel/tcl-zhonghuan-hsm-nd66-gk725-iec1500v) | 725 | 23.3 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline | | 2 | [HSM-ND66-GK725](https://comparepv.com/panel/tcl-zhonghuan-hsm-nd66-gk725) | 725 | 23.3 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline | | 3 | [HSM-ND66-GK720 (IEC1500V)](https://comparepv.com/panel/tcl-zhonghuan-hsm-nd66-gk720-iec1500v) | 720 | 23.0 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline | | 4 | [HSM-ND66-GK720](https://comparepv.com/panel/tcl-zhonghuan-hsm-nd66-gk720) | 720 | 23.2 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline | | 5 | [HSM-ND66-GK715 (IEC1500V)](https://comparepv.com/panel/tcl-zhonghuan-hsm-nd66-gk715-iec1500v) | 715 | 22.9 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline | | 6 | [HSM-ND66-GK715](https://comparepv.com/panel/tcl-zhonghuan-hsm-nd66-gk715) | 715 | 23.0 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline | | 7 | [HSM-ND66-GK710](https://comparepv.com/panel/tcl-zhonghuan-hsm-nd66-gk710) | 710 | 22.9 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline | | 8 | [HSM-ND66-GK710 (IEC1500V)](https://comparepv.com/panel/tcl-zhonghuan-hsm-nd66-gk710-iec1500v) | 710 | 22.9 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline | | 9 | [HSM-ND66-GK705](https://comparepv.com/panel/tcl-zhonghuan-hsm-nd66-gk705) | 705 | 22.7 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline | | 10 | [HSM-ND66-GK705 (IEC1500V)](https://comparepv.com/panel/tcl-zhonghuan-hsm-nd66-gk705-iec1500v) | 705 | 22.7 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline | ## Summary ARTsolar is a South African manufacturer founded around 2010 and based in the KwaZulu-Natal province near Durban. It describes itself as South Africa's only locally owned solar panel maker, with a factory rated at up to 300MW of annual output. The company has received financing from the Industrial Development Corporation and entered OEM and distribution partnerships with Chinese producers including LONGi Solar and Talesun. ARTsolar does not appear on BloombergNEF's Tier 1 global module list, and a recent legal proceeding raised questions about the local-content share of its assemblies. TCL Zhonghuan is a Tianjin-based subsidiary of the Chinese TCL conglomerate and is the world's largest producer of monocrystalline silicon wafers, a position it consolidated by overtaking LONGi Green Energy in 2022. It earned BloombergNEF Tier 1 module status as of Q4 2024 and shipped approximately 15.1GW of modules in 2025 according to industry data. On institutional scale and bankability, TCL Zhonghuan operates in a different league entirely. ARTsolar's catalog runs from roughly 100Wp to 550Wp, covering polycrystalline and monocrystalline PERC formats, targeting residential rooftops and small-to-medium commercial installations primarily across southern Africa. Local distribution, domestic warranty accountability, and potential local-content compliance under South African procurement frameworks are its main differentiators. TCL Zhonghuan, marketing modules under the TCL Solar brand, fields a high-power lineup anchored by the T5 Pro TOPCon series - rated up to 760W with module-level efficiencies of 25.17% confirmed by pv-magazine - alongside E Class back-contact bifacial panels suited for utility-scale ground mounts and large industrial rooftops. Vertical integration from silicon wafer to finished module underpins its cost competitiveness and quality consistency. For a typical global buyer in 2025, TCL Zhonghuan is the more bankable default, offering proven TOPCon and back-contact technology at utility scale with formal BNEF Tier 1 recognition. ARTsolar is best evaluated by buyers with specific South African local-content requirements or a preference for regionally accountable support, where its domestic footprint becomes a concrete advantage rather than a constraint. \---LINKS--- \- https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/11/18/tcl-zhonghuan-unveils-25-15-efficient-topcon-solar-modules-series-with-multi-slice-design/ \| TCL Zhonghuan unveils 25.17%-efficient TOPCon module series \| article \- https://www.solarbeglobal.com/tier-1-tcl-zhonghuan-ranks-on-bloombergnefs-tier-1-list-of-global-pv-module-manufacturers/ \| TCL Zhonghuan joins BloombergNEF Tier 1 global PV module list \| article \- https://www.energytrend.com/news/20260325-51139.html \| TCL Zhonghuan 2025 module shipments hit 15.1GW, up over 80% YoY \| article \- https://www.esi-africa.com/news/artsolar-localisation-case-industrial-policy-designed-to-fail/ \| ARTsolar localisation case - industrial policy designed to fail \| article \- https://groundup.org.za/article/local-manufacturer-actually-imports-99-its-product-court-told/ \| ARTsolar court case - local manufacturer imports 99% of product \| article Sources: \- \[TCL Zhonghuan unveils 25.17%-efficient TOPCon module series - pv-magazine\](https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/11/18/tcl-zhonghuan-unveils-25-15-efficient-topcon-solar-modules-series-with-multi-slice-design/) \- \[TCL Zhonghuan joins BloombergNEF Tier 1 list - SolarBe Global\](https://www.solarbeglobal.com/tier-1-tcl-zhonghuan-ranks-on-bloombergnefs-tier-1-list-of-global-pv-module-manufacturers/) \- \[TCL Zhonghuan 2025 module shipments 15.1GW - EnergyTrend\](https://www.energytrend.com/news/20260325-51139.html) \- \[ARTsolar localisation case - ESI Africa\](https://www.esi-africa.com/news/artsolar-localisation-case-industrial-policy-designed-to-fail/) \- \[ARTsolar court case: imports 99% of product - GroundUp\](https://groundup.org.za/article/local-manufacturer-actually-imports-99-its-product-court-told/) 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 TCL Zhonghuan](https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-tcl-zhonghuan) - [ARTsolar vs AEET](https://comparepv.com/artsolar-vs-aeet) - [AIKO vs TCL Zhonghuan](https://comparepv.com/aiko-vs-tcl-zhonghuan) - [ARTsolar vs AKCOME](https://comparepv.com/artsolar-vs-akcome) - [ASM vs TCL Zhonghuan](https://comparepv.com/asm-vs-tcl-zhonghuan) --- Source: https://comparepv.com/artsolar-vs-tcl-zhonghuan