---
title: "Esse Solar vs Q-Cells - Brand Comparison | ComparePV"
description: "Compare Esse Solar vs Q-Cells solar panels: full portfolio, efficiency, cell technology breakdown, warranty terms and company background."
source: "https://comparepv.com/esse-solar-vs-q-cells"
---

# Esse Solar vs Q-Cells

Q-Cells has the broader catalog (89 vs 0 models). Q-Cells leans bifacial (39% of lineup).


## The two companies


| Attribute | Esse Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Country | Italy | South Korea |
| Headquarters | Gallarate | Seoul |
| Founded | 1991 | 1999 |
| Employees | 11-50 | 2000+ |
| Annual capacity |  | 11.2 GW/year |
| Tier 1 |  | yes |
| Listed |  | NASDAQ: HQCL |
| Website |  | [https://www.qcells.com](https://www.qcells.com) |

Esse Solar is an Italian company that provides solar solutions to solar professionals, businesses, and individuals who want to improve their energy efficiency. The company was founded in 1991 and is based in Gallarate. Esse Solar has raised $6.54M in funding from VAM Investments.

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...


## Catalog & Power


| Measure | Esse Solar | Q-Cells | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panel Models | 0 | 89 | +89 |
| Max Power | 0 W | 675 W | +675 W |
| Avg Power | 0 W | 468 W | +468 W |


## Efficiency


| Measure | Esse Solar | Q-Cells | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max Efficiency | - | 23.20% |  |
| Avg Efficiency | - | 21.21% |  |


## Reliability & Warranty


| Measure | Esse Solar | Q-Cells | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Avg Temp Coefficient | - | -0.325%/°C |  |
| Bifacial Share | 0 (0%) | 35 (39%) | +39 pp |
| Avg Warranty | - | 27.0 yrs |  |


## Efficiency distribution

Q-Cells skews to higher efficiency: 2% of lineup is 23%+


| Efficiency band | Esse Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<20% | 0 | 7 (7.9%) |
| 20-21% | 0 | 29 (32.6%) |
| 21-22% | 0 | 30 (33.7%) |
| 22-23% | 0 | 21 (23.6%) |
| 23%+ | 0 | 2 (2.2%) |


## Power distribution

Q-Cells offers more 600W+ panels (19% of lineup)


| Power band | Esse Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<400W | 0 | 20 (22.5%) |
| 400-499W | 0 | 41 (46.1%) |
| 500-599W | 0 | 11 (12.4%) |
| 600-699W | 0 | 17 (19.1%) |


## Cell technology

Dominant cell tech: **PERC** (43%)


| Technology | Esse Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PERC | 0 | 38 (42.7%) |
| N-type | 0 | 23 (25.8%) |
| Unknown | 0 | 20 (22.5%) |
| TOPCon | 0 | 8 (9.0%) |


## Top panels, Q-Cells


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [Q.PEAK DUO ML-G12S.3 / BFG 675](https://comparepv.com/panel/q-cells-q-peak-duo-ml-g12s-3-bfg-675) | 675 | 21.7 | -0.340 | Monocrystalline |
| 2 | [Q.PEAK DUO ML-G12S.3 / BFG 670](https://comparepv.com/panel/q-cells-q-peak-duo-ml-g12s-3-bfg-670) | 670 | 21.6 | -0.340 | Monocrystalline |
| 3 | [Q.PEAK DUO ML-G12S.3 / BFG 665](https://comparepv.com/panel/q-cells-q-peak-duo-ml-g12s-3-bfg-665) | 665 | 21.4 | -0.340 | Monocrystalline |
| 4 | [Q.PEAK DUO ML-G12S.3 / BFG 660](https://comparepv.com/panel/q-cells-q-peak-duo-ml-g12s-3-bfg-660) | 660 | 21.2 | -0.340 | Monocrystalline |
| 5 | [Q.PEAK DUO ML-G12S.3 / BFG 655](https://comparepv.com/panel/q-cells-q-peak-duo-ml-g12s-3-bfg-655) | 655 | 21.1 | -0.340 | Monocrystalline |
| 6 | [Q.PEAK DUO ML-G12S.3 / BFG 650](https://comparepv.com/panel/q-cells-q-peak-duo-ml-g12s-3-bfg-650) | 650 | 20.9 | -0.340 | Monocrystalline |
| 7 | [Q.TRON XL-G2.3 / BFG 645](https://comparepv.com/panel/q-cells-q-tron-xl-g2-3-bfg-645) | 645 | 23.1 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 8 | [Q.TRON XL-G2.3 / BFG 640](https://comparepv.com/panel/q-cells-q-tron-xl-g2-3-bfg-640) | 640 | 22.9 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 9 | [Q.TRON XL-G2.3 / BFG 635](https://comparepv.com/panel/hanwha-q-cells-america-inc-q-tron-xl-g2-3-bfg-635) | 635 | 22.7 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |
| 10 | [Q.TRON XL-G2.3 / BFG 630](https://comparepv.com/panel/hanwha-q-cells-america-inc-q-tron-xl-g2-3-bfg-630) | 630 | 22.6 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |


## Summary

Esse Solar is a small Italian renewable-energy firm headquartered in Gallarate, Lombardy, operating as a regional installer and distributor of photovoltaic systems and heat-pump integrations for residential and commercial clients. With roughly 26 employees, the company functions as a turnkey system integrator rather than a panel manufacturer, sourcing modules from established global brands while providing local project management, energy analysis, and tax-incentive consulting. Q-Cells - trading commercially as Hanwha Q CELLS - is a South Korean manufacturer founded in 1999 and acquired by the Hanwha Group in 2012, with production plants across South Korea, Malaysia, China, and a dedicated facility in Dalton, Georgia. Q-Cells holds a confirmed BloombergNEF Top Tier bankability rating and was named an S&P Global Tier 1 Cleantech company in 2025, with a reported module production capacity of approximately 12.4 GW per year. In institutional footprint, the two companies are not in the same category.

Q-Cells offers a well-documented product portfolio for both residential rooftops and larger commercial installations. Its Q.TRON series is built on N-type TOPCon cell architecture and delivers panel efficiencies confirmed at up to 23.7 percent in its highest-output configurations, while the established Q.ANTUM line uses PERC technology aimed at cost-sensitive projects. Q-Cells backs its modules with 25-year product warranties and a warranted annual degradation rate of 0.33 percent for the Q.TRON series, figures cited consistently across independent reviews. Esse Solar, being a system integrator rather than a manufacturer, does not publish a proprietary panel line, and any module performance depends entirely on the third-party brands it resells for a given project.

For any buyer seeking a bankable, independently tested solar panel in 2025, Q-Cells is the clear and better-supported default. Esse Solar and Q-Cells are not truly interchangeable because they serve different roles in the supply chain - Esse Solar as a regional Italian EPC and distribution channel, Q-Cells as one of the world's most credentialed module manufacturers. In practice, a project in northern Italy could draw on both simultaneously, with Esse Solar handling the installation and Q-Cells supplying the modules.

\---LINKS---

\- https://www.pv-magazine.com/press-releases/q-cells-achieves-top-tier-class-bankability-score-in-latest-bloombergnef-report/ \| Q-Cells achieves Top Tier bankability score in BloombergNEF report \| article

\- https://www.solarreviews.com/blog/hanwha-q-cells-solar-panels-complete-review \| Expert review of Qcells solar panels 2025 - SolarReviews \| review

\- https://www.energysage.com/solar/best-solar-panels-complete-ranking/q-cells-solar-panels-complete-review/ \| Q CELLS solar panels - the complete review - EnergySage \| review

\- https://www.enfsolar.com/esse-solar \| Esse Solar S.r.l. - solar components distributor Italy - ENF Solar \| article

\- https://www.fimer.com/fimer-and-esse-solar-new-860-kwp-photovoltaic-plant-modena-italy \| FIMER and Esse Solar - 860 kWp photovoltaic plant in Modena Italy \| article

Sources:

\- \[Q-Cells achieves Top Tier bankability score - PV Magazine\](https://www.pv-magazine.com/press-releases/q-cells-achieves-top-tier-class-bankability-score-in-latest-bloombergnef-report/)

\- \[Expert Review of Qcells Solar Panels 2025 - SolarReviews\](https://www.solarreviews.com/blog/hanwha-q-cells-solar-panels-complete-review)

\- \[Q CELLS Solar Panels: The Complete Review - EnergySage\](https://www.energysage.com/solar/best-solar-panels-complete-ranking/q-cells-solar-panels-complete-review/)

\- \[Esse Solar S.r.l. - ENF Solar Directory\](https://www.enfsolar.com/esse-solar)

\- \[FIMER and Esse Solar: 860 kWp plant in Modena - Fimer\](https://www.fimer.com/fimer-and-esse-solar-new-860-kwp-photovoltaic-plant-modena-italy)

Written by claude-sonnet from the figures above.


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Source: https://comparepv.com/esse-solar-vs-q-cells