---
title: "First Solar vs Hyundai - Brand Comparison | ComparePV"
description: "Compare First Solar vs Hyundai solar panels: full portfolio, efficiency, cell technology breakdown, warranty terms and company background."
source: "https://comparepv.com/first-solar-vs-hyundai"
---

# First Solar vs Hyundai

Hyundai has the broader catalog (65 vs 63 models). Hyundai leads on peak efficiency at 23.40%. Hyundai leans bifacial (66% of lineup).


## The two companies


| Attribute | First Solar | Hyundai |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Country | USA | South Korea |
| Headquarters | Tempe, AZ | Seongnam-si |
| Founded | 1999 | 2004 |
| Employees | 5500-8100 | 206 |
| Annual capacity | 21+ GW/year | 1.35 GW/year |
| Tier 1 | yes | yes |
| Listed | NASDAQ: FSLR | Korea Stock Exchange: 322000 |
| Website | [https://www.firstsolar.com](https://www.firstsolar.com) | [https://www.hd-hyundaies.co.kr](https://www.hd-hyundaies.co.kr) |

First Solar is a leading American solar technology company and global provider of responsibly produced eco-efficient solar modules, advancing the fight against climate change. The company manufactures thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules using cadmium telluride (CdTe) semiconductor technology. First Solar is unique...

HD Hyundai Energy Solutions is a global provider of solar cells and modules, offering solutions for residential, commercial, and utility-scale projects. They provide monofacial, bifacial, and shingled PV modules, along with inverters and various PV solutions. The company is committed to developing next-generation...


## Catalog & Power


| Measure | First Solar | Hyundai | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panel Models | 63 | 65 | +2 |
| Max Power | 550 W | 640 W | +90 W |
| Avg Power | 481 W | 442 W | +39 W |


## Efficiency


| Measure | First Solar | Hyundai | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max Efficiency | 19.70% | 23.40% | +3.70 pp |
| Avg Efficiency | 18.56% | 21.49% | +2.94 pp |


## Reliability & Warranty


| Measure | First Solar | Hyundai | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.320%/°C | -0.300%/°C | +0.020 |
| Bifacial Share | 12 (19%) | 43 (66%) | +47 pp |
| Avg Warranty | 29.3 yrs | 27.4 yrs | +1.9 yr |


## Efficiency distribution

Hyundai skews to higher efficiency: 6% of lineup is 23%+


| Efficiency band | First Solar | Hyundai |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<20% | 63 (100.0%) | 7 (10.8%) |
| 20-21% | 0 | 17 (26.2%) |
| 21-22% | 0 | 12 (18.5%) |
| 22-23% | 0 | 25 (38.5%) |
| 23%+ | 0 | 4 (6.2%) |


## Power distribution

Hyundai offers more 600W+ panels (5% of lineup)


| Power band | First Solar | Hyundai |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 400-499W | 44 (69.8%) | 49 (75.4%) |
| 500-599W | 19 (30.2%) | 5 (7.7%) |
| \<400W | 0 | 8 (12.3%) |
| 600-699W | 0 | 3 (4.6%) |


## Cell technology

Dominant cell tech: **CdTe** (81%)

Dominant cell tech: **HJT** (38%)


| Technology | First Solar | Hyundai |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CdTe | 51 (81.0%) | 0 |
| Unknown | 12 (19.0%) | 9 (13.8%) |
| HJT | 0 | 25 (38.5%) |
| PERC | 0 | 25 (38.5%) |
| TOPCon | 0 | 6 (9.2%) |


## Top panels, First Solar


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [FS-7550A-TR1](https://comparepv.com/panel/first-solar-fs-7550a-tr1) | 550 | 19.7 | -0.320 | Thin film |
| 2 | [FS-7550A-FT1](https://comparepv.com/panel/first-solar-fs-7550a-ft1) | 550 | 19.7 | -0.320 | Thin film |
| 3 | [FS-7545A-TR1](https://comparepv.com/panel/first-solar-fs-7545a-tr1) | 545 | 19.5 | -0.320 | Thin film |
| 4 | [FS-7545A-FT1](https://comparepv.com/panel/first-solar-fs-7545a-ft1) | 545 | 19.5 | -0.320 | Thin film |
| 5 | [FS-7540A-TR1](https://comparepv.com/panel/first-solar-fs-7540a-tr1) | 540 | 19.3 | -0.320 | Thin film |
| 6 | [FS-7540A-FT1](https://comparepv.com/panel/first-solar-fs-7540a-ft1) | 540 | 19.3 | -0.320 | Thin film |
| 7 | [FS-7535A-TR1](https://comparepv.com/panel/first-solar-fs-7535a-tr1) | 535 | 19.1 | -0.320 | Thin film |
| 8 | [FS-7535A-FT1](https://comparepv.com/panel/first-solar-fs-7535a-ft1) | 535 | 19.1 | -0.320 | Thin film |
| 9 | [FS-7532A-FT1](https://comparepv.com/panel/first-solar-fs-7532a-ft1) | 532 | 19.0 | -0.320 | Thin film |
| 10 | [FS-7530A-TR1](https://comparepv.com/panel/first-solar-fs-7530a-tr1) | 530 | 19.0 | -0.320 | Thin film |


## Top panels, Hyundai


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [HiS-T640NJ](https://comparepv.com/panel/hd-hyundai-energy-solutions-his-t640nj) | 640 | 22.9 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 2 | [HiS-T635NJ](https://comparepv.com/panel/hd-hyundai-energy-solutions-his-t635nj) | 635 | 22.7 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 3 | [HiS-T630NJ](https://comparepv.com/panel/hd-hyundai-energy-solutions-his-t630nj) | 630 | 22.5 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 4 | [HiT-H520LF-FB(ZB)](https://comparepv.com/panel/hyundai-hit-h520lf-fb-zb) | 520 | 23.4 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline |
| 5 | [HiT-H515LF-FB(ZB)](https://comparepv.com/panel/hyundai-hit-h515lf-fb-zb) | 515 | 23.2 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline |
| 6 | [HiT-H510LF-FB(ZB)](https://comparepv.com/panel/hyundai-hit-h510lf-fb-zb) | 510 | 22.9 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline |
| 7 | [HiT-H505LF-FB(ZB)](https://comparepv.com/panel/hyundai-hit-h505lf-fb-zb) | 505 | 22.7 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline |
| 8 | [HiT-H500LF-FB(ZB)](https://comparepv.com/panel/hyundai-hit-h500lf-fb-zb) | 500 | 22.5 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline |
| 9 | [HiT-H460LE-FB(ZB)](https://comparepv.com/panel/hyundai-hit-h460le-fb-zb) | 460 | 23.0 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline |
| 10 | [HiT-H460CE-BF](https://comparepv.com/panel/hyundai-hit-h460ce-bf) | 460 | 23.0 | -0.240 | Monocrystalline |


## Summary

First Solar is an American manufacturer headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, founded in 1999 and now the largest thin-film PV producer in the world and the largest solar module maker in the Western Hemisphere. The company holds BloombergNEF Tier 1 bankability status and operates facilities in the United States, India, Malaysia, and Vietnam, with total nameplate capacity reaching roughly 21 GW annually as of 2025 and a target of over 25 GW by 2026. HD Hyundai Energy Solutions traces its roots to Hyundai Heavy Industries, founded in 1972 in South Korea, and also carries BloombergNEF Tier 1 status. Its scale is more modest and primarily serves mid-tier commercial and residential markets rather than competing head-to-head on gigawatt utility contracts. On raw institutional footprint and manufacturing volume, First Solar holds a decisive advantage.

The two companies serve almost entirely different segments. First Solar's flagship Series 7 module uses the company's proprietary cadmium telluride thin-film technology and is built almost exclusively for large utility-scale ground-mount projects - its form factor, wiring design, and tracker compatibility are optimized for multi-megawatt installations. Hyundai Energy Solutions targets a broader audience: its XG and YH residential series and its HiN-T line of N-type TOPCon bifacial commercial panels - with module efficiencies confirmed above 22% for newer models - suit everything from rooftop residential jobs to mid-scale commercial arrays. Hyundai's TOPCon panels earned a top-performer ranking in the 2024 PVEL Product Quality Scorecard, reinforcing their quality credentials outside the utility tier.

For a typical residential or small commercial buyer in 2025, Hyundai Energy Solutions is the more relevant choice, given its product variety, rooftop-ready form factors, 30-year performance warranty on TOPCon lines, and proven quality testing results. First Solar is essentially not a competitor in that space - its strength lies in large infrastructure projects where its thin-film technology's lower temperature coefficient and established US supply chain are decisive advantages.

\---LINKS---

\- https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/11/03/first-solar-to-open-its-fifth-u-s-factory-adding-3-7-gw-of-annual-production/ \| First Solar to open fifth US factory adding 3.7 GW annual production \| article

\- https://www.firstsolar.com/en/Products/Series-7 \| First Solar Series 7 - Made in America, for America \| article

\- https://www.solarreviews.com/blog/complete-review-hyundai-solar-panels \| Complete Review of Hyundai Solar Panels in 2025 - SolarReviews \| review

\- https://pv-magazine-usa.com/press-releases/hd-hyundai-energy-solutions-begins-mass-production-of-n-type-topcon-cells/ \| HD Hyundai Energy Solutions begins mass production of N-Type TOPCon cells \| article

\- https://www.renvu.com/blogs/learn/tier-1-solar-panels-list-2025-updated-manufacturers-rankings \| Tier 1 Solar Panels List 2025 - Updated Manufacturers and Rankings \| article

Sources:

\- \[First Solar to open its fifth U.S. factory, adding 3.7 GW of annual production\](https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/11/03/first-solar-to-open-its-fifth-u-s-factory-adding-3-7-gw-of-annual-production/)

\- \[Series 7 - Made in America, for America \| First Solar\](https://www.firstsolar.com/en/Products/Series-7)

\- \[Complete Review Of Hyundai Solar Panels In 2025\](https://www.solarreviews.com/blog/complete-review-hyundai-solar-panels)

\- \[HD Hyundai Energy Solutions begins mass production of N-Type TOPCon cells\](https://pv-magazine-usa.com/press-releases/hd-hyundai-energy-solutions-begins-mass-production-of-n-type-topcon-cells/)

\- \[Tier 1 Solar Panels List 2025: Updated Manufacturers & Rankings\](https://www.renvu.com/blogs/learn/tier-1-solar-panels-list-2025-updated-manufacturers-rankings)

Written by claude-sonnet from the figures above.


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- [First Solar vs A.B. Energy](https://comparepv.com/first-solar-vs-a-b-energy)
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- [AIKO vs Hyundai](https://comparepv.com/aiko-vs-hyundai)
- [First Solar vs AKCOME](https://comparepv.com/first-solar-vs-akcome)
- [ARTsolar vs Hyundai](https://comparepv.com/artsolar-vs-hyundai)


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Source: https://comparepv.com/first-solar-vs-hyundai

Not in this file, on the page: the distributions above drawn as charts.