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

# First Solar vs Q-Cells

Q-Cells has the broader catalog (89 vs 63 models). Q-Cells leads on peak efficiency at 23.20%. Q-Cells leans bifacial (39% of lineup).


## The two companies


| Attribute | First Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Country | USA | South Korea |
| Headquarters | Tempe, AZ | Seoul |
| Founded | 1999 | 1999 |
| Employees | 5500-8100 | 2000+ |
| Annual capacity | 21+ GW/year | 11.2 GW/year |
| Tier 1 | yes | yes |
| Listed | NASDAQ: FSLR | NASDAQ: HQCL |
| Website | [https://www.firstsolar.com](https://www.firstsolar.com) | [https://www.qcells.com](https://www.qcells.com) |

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...

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 | First Solar | Q-Cells | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panel Models | 63 | 89 | +26 |
| Max Power | 550 W | 675 W | +125 W |
| Avg Power | 481 W | 468 W | +13 W |


## Efficiency


| Measure | First Solar | Q-Cells | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max Efficiency | 19.70% | 23.20% | +3.50 pp |
| Avg Efficiency | 18.56% | 21.21% | +2.66 pp |


## Reliability & Warranty


| Measure | First Solar | Q-Cells | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.320%/°C | -0.325%/°C | +0.005 |
| Bifacial Share | 12 (19%) | 35 (39%) | +20 pp |
| Avg Warranty | 29.3 yrs | 27.0 yrs | +2.3 yr |


## Efficiency distribution

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


| Efficiency band | First Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<20% | 63 (100.0%) | 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 | First Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 400-499W | 44 (69.8%) | 41 (46.1%) |
| 500-599W | 19 (30.2%) | 11 (12.4%) |
| \<400W | 0 | 20 (22.5%) |
| 600-699W | 0 | 17 (19.1%) |


## Cell technology

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

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


| Technology | First Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CdTe | 51 (81.0%) | 0 |
| Unknown | 12 (19.0%) | 20 (22.5%) |
| PERC | 0 | 38 (42.7%) |
| N-type | 0 | 23 (25.8%) |
| TOPCon | 0 | 8 (9.0%) |


## 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, 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

First Solar is an American manufacturer founded in 1999 and headquartered in Tempe, Arizona. It consistently appears on BloombergNEF's Tier 1 bankability list and, as of 2025, operates roughly 23.5 GW of active global manufacturing capacity, having sold a record 17.5 GW of modules that year - with a fifth U.S. factory underway to add another 3.7 GW annually. Q CELLS was also founded in 1999, originally in Thalheim, Germany, and was acquired by South Korean conglomerate Hanwha in 2012; it continues to operate under the Hanwha Q CELLS name with production in Germany, the United States, and Asia. Q CELLS likewise holds BloombergNEF Tier 1 status and ranked third in SolarReviews' 2025 standings. In terms of balance-sheet depth, manufacturing scale, and institutional footprint, First Solar holds a clear edge as the dominant Western thin-film producer.

The two companies serve largely different market segments, which makes a direct product comparison less straightforward than it might appear. First Solar produces exclusively cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film modules - principally its Series 7 format - engineered for large utility-scale ground-mount projects, where its low degradation rate and strong performance in diffuse light offer advantages over crystalline silicon. It does not compete in the residential market. Q CELLS, by contrast, covers the full range from residential to commercial. Its Q.PEAK DUO lines rely on the proven PERC-based Q.ANTUM DUO platform, while the newer Q.TRON series deploys N-type TOPCon cells under the Q.ANTUM NEO architecture, reaching efficiencies up to around 22.5%, making it well suited to space-constrained rooftops.

For a homeowner or commercial installer, Q CELLS is the more relevant choice: it produces silicon panels sized for distributed generation, carries strong bankability, and sits in the mid-to-premium price range at roughly $0.70-$1.00 per watt. First Solar is not a competitor in that space - its products target utility developers and large independent power producers. These two brands are not interchangeable; they serve structurally different buyers with different needs, and the better choice depends entirely on project scale.

\---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 U.S. factory adding 3.7 GW of annual production \| article

\- https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/11/04/first-solar-plans-fifth-us-factory-with-3-7-gw-capacity-addition/ \| First Solar plans fifth US factory with 3.7 GW capacity addition \| article

\- https://www.ecowatch.com/solar/reviews/qcells-solar-panels \| Q-Cells Solar Panels Review 2025 - EcoWatch \| review

\- https://solartechonline.com/blog/hanwha-q-cells-solar-panels-review-2025/ \| Hanwha Q CELLS Solar Panels Review 2025 - Expert Analysis \| review

Sources:

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

\- \[First Solar plans fifth US factory with 3.7 GW capacity addition\](https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/11/04/first-solar-plans-fifth-us-factory-with-3-7-gw-capacity-addition/)

\- \[Q-Cells Solar Panels Review 2025 - EcoWatch\](https://www.ecowatch.com/solar/reviews/qcells-solar-panels)

\- \[Hanwha Q CELLS Solar Panels Review 2025 - SolarTechOnline\](https://solartechonline.com/blog/hanwha-q-cells-solar-panels-review-2025/)

Written by claude-sonnet from the figures above.


## Other comparisons

- [First Solar vs A.B. Energy](https://comparepv.com/first-solar-vs-a-b-energy)
- [AE Solar vs Q-Cells](https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-q-cells)
- [First Solar vs AEET](https://comparepv.com/first-solar-vs-aeet)
- [AIKO vs Q-Cells](https://comparepv.com/aiko-vs-q-cells)
- [First Solar vs AKCOME](https://comparepv.com/first-solar-vs-akcome)
- [ARTsolar vs Q-Cells](https://comparepv.com/artsolar-vs-q-cells)


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

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