ENCOR vs Q-Cells - solar panel manufacturer comparison
Q-Cells has the broader catalog (89 vs 4 models). Q-Cells leads on peak efficiency at 23.20%. Q-Cells leans bifacial (39% of lineup).
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
ENCOR is a proprietary solar brand owned by CORAB S.A., a Polish manufacturer and distributor of photovoltaic systems founded in 1991. The brand covers an ecosystem of own-label PV modules, inverters, and energy storage units produced to CORAB's specifications. CORAB is one of the largest photovoltaic mounting...
- Founded
- 1991
- Headquarters
- Olsztyn, Poland
- Employees
- 200-500
Qcells is a renowned global provider of complete energy solutions, specializing in solar cells and modules, energy storage solutions, downstream project business, and energy retail. The company has a strong heritage dating back to its foundation in Germany and has become a leader in technology innovations. As an...
- Founded
- 1999
- Headquarters
- Seoul, South Korea
- Annual capacity
- 11.2 GW/year
- Employees
- 2000+
- Listed
- NASDAQ: HQCL
- 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
Q-Cells skews to higher efficiency: 2% of lineup is 23%+
Q-Cells offers more 600W+ panels (19% of lineup)
Dominant cell tech: <strong>PERC</strong> (75%)
Dominant cell tech: <strong>PERC</strong> (43%)
The flagships
Written summary
ENCOR Solar was a Utah-based residential solar installation company in the United States, not a panel manufacturer. Search results consistently show it ceased operations, leaving customers without warranty support, and it never appeared on any Tier 1 or BloombergNEF bankability list because it produced no panels of its own. Q-Cells, operating under South Korea's Hanwha Group - a Fortune Global 500 conglomerate - is a vertically integrated manufacturer with origins in German cell technology, now headquartered with facilities across Asia, Europe, and notably in Dalton, Georgia, where it operates one of the largest solar manufacturing complexes in the United States. Q-Cells holds a BloombergNEF Top Tier Class bankability score and was named an S&P Global 2025 Tier 1 Cleantech company. With a reported global module production capacity in the range of 12 GW per year, Q-Cells has a vastly stronger institutional footprint than ENCOR ever had.
Because ENCOR was an installer that resold third-party equipment rather than a panel brand, there is no product family to compare directly. Q-Cells offers well-documented residential and commercial series - including the Q.TRON and Q.PEAK lines - built around its proprietary Q.ANTUM NEO cell technology, a TOPCon-based architecture that independent reviews confirm delivers panel efficiencies above 22% in current production models. These panels are aimed at premium residential rooftops, mid-size commercial installations, and increasingly at utility-scale projects through U.S.-made modules, which carry domestic content advantages under the Inflation Reduction Act.
For any buyer evaluating these two names in 2025, the comparison is effectively one-sided. ENCOR Solar no longer exists as a going concern, and it was never a panel manufacturer to begin with. Q-Cells is a bankable, globally recognized brand with active warranties, U.S. manufacturing, and a strong service track record. Any customer who was previously served by ENCOR and needs panel replacement or warranty service should contact their financing company or a licensed local installer rather than ENCOR itself.
Generated by Claude Sonnet · 2026-06-10
Other brand comparisons
Shop prices: See 1 ENCOR offer · See 23 Q-Cells offers
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.