ASM vs Thornova - solar panel manufacturer comparison
ASM has the broader catalog (1 vs 0 models).
Both catalogues are read from the manufacturers' own datasheets. A brand is not scored against the market here, only against the other brand on this page.
The two companies
Australian Solar Manufacturing (ASM) is a small Australian solar panel assembler that produces crystalline monocrystalline modules domestically using components sourced from Germany, Japan, the USA, and China. The company focuses on providing locally assembled PV modules tailored to Australian conditions, supporting...
- Founded
- 2009
- Headquarters
- Hallam, Victoria, Australia
- Employees
- 1-10
Thornova Solar (formerly Sunova Solar) is a Chinese photovoltaic manufacturer headquartered in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, specializing in high-efficiency TOPCon and PERC bifacial solar modules. The company operates manufacturing facilities in China and Indonesia with a combined module capacity of 6.5 GW and cell capacity...
- Founded
- 2016
- Headquarters
- Wuxi, China
- Annual capacity
- 5-10 GW/year
- Tier 1 bankable
- Yes
Catalogue against catalogue
An average over a catalogue describes the range a manufacturer publishes, not the module you would buy. A brand with two flagship panels and eighty older ones averages worse than one that has retired its back catalogue.
What each of them builds
The flagships
Written summary
ASM, trading as Australian Solar Manufacturing, is a small-scale module assembler based in Australia that sources cells and components from Germany, Japan, the United States, and China, then assembles finished panels domestically for the local residential market. The company operates at a modest volume suited to the Australian rooftop segment and does not appear on BloombergNEF's Tier 1 module list or any comparable bankability ranking. Thornova Solar, formerly operating under the Sunova Solar brand, is a Chinese-origin manufacturer with fabrication sites in Southeast Asia, including an Indonesian facility commissioned in late 2024 with approximately 2.5 GW of module capacity. Thornova achieved BloombergNEF Tier 1 status in August 2023 and was confirmed on the Q1 2026 Tier 1 list; it also received a B ranking in the PV Tech Bankability Report for Q4 2024 and placed thirteenth in Wood Mackenzie's H1 2024 Solar Module Manufacturer Ranking. By every institutional measure, Thornova carries a significantly stronger global footprint.
On the product side, ASM's catalog has historically centered on lower-wattage monocrystalline panels suited to residential rooftops where local assembly and Australian compliance are priorities. Thornova, by contrast, offers a broad range spanning roughly 400 W to 720 W, built on N-type TOPCon bifacial cell technology, with efficiency figures that search results place between roughly 20.5% and 23.2%. Its lineup covers residential rooftops, commercial flat roofs, and utility-scale ground mounts, and it earned a Kiwa PVEL 2025 Top Performer designation for module reliability. Thornova has also established a US sales network with offices in Texas, Florida, New Jersey, and New York, signaling active pursuit of the North American market.
For most buyers outside Australia, Thornova is the more practical default in 2025: it is bankable, independently tested, widely distributed, and built on proven N-type TOPCon technology at competitive wattages. ASM's appeal is narrower - buyers who specifically value Australian assembly and local after-sales support may find it worthwhile, but it cannot be compared to Thornova on scale, technology generation, or institutional credibility.
Generated by Claude Sonnet · 2026-06-09
Other brand comparisons
Comparisons are computed from manufacturer datasheets held in the ComparePV database and may not reflect a brand's complete current lineup. Nothing on this page is paid placement.