Hounen Solar vs Jinko Solar - solar panel manufacturer comparison
Jinko Solar has the broader catalog (637 vs 44 models). Jinko Solar leads on peak efficiency at 24.80%. Hounen Solar leans bifacial (86% 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
Hounen Solar (Zhejiang Haoneng Optoelectronics) is a Chinese solar PV module manufacturer with its U.S. operations branded as Hounen Solar America. The company produces solar panels for residential, commercial, and utility-scale applications, and in 2023 established a 1 GW module assembly facility in Orangeburg, South...
- Founded
- 2010
- Headquarters
- Haining, China
- Annual capacity
- 1-2 GW/year
- Employees
- 200-500
JinkoSolar is a global leader in the solar industry, manufacturing and distributing solar products and solutions to a diversified international customer base. They have a vertically integrated solar product value chain. The company is committed to providing clean, efficient, and sustainable energy solutions worldwide.
- Founded
- 2006
- Headquarters
- Shanghai, China
- Annual capacity
- 130.0 GW/year
- Employees
- 33,830
- Listed
- NYSE: JKS
- 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
Jinko Solar skews to higher efficiency: 29% of lineup is 23%+
Hounen Solar offers more 600W+ panels (43% of lineup)
Dominant cell tech: <strong>N-type</strong> (48%)
Dominant cell tech: <strong>TOPCon</strong> (41%)
The flagships
Written summary
Jinko Solar and Hounen Solar both trace their origins to China, but they occupy vastly different tiers of the global solar manufacturing landscape. Jinko Solar was founded in 2006, is publicly listed on the NYSE, and employs over 33,800 people with a module production capacity of 130 GW - placing it firmly among the top two or three largest PV manufacturers in the world by shipment volume. Hounen Solar, founded in 2010, is a considerably smaller operation with 200-500 employees and an estimated production capacity of 1-2 GW. Jinko holds Tier 1 bankability status and has been ranked the most bankable solar module brand by BloombergNEF for 10 consecutive years, receiving a 100% bankability score in 2024 - the only manufacturer to do so. Hounen Solar does not appear in major bankability surveys and has no NYSE or equivalent listing, which limits its appeal for project finance-dependent installations.
Jinko Solar's technology portfolio is among the most advanced in the industry. Its Tiger Neo series uses N-type TOPCon cells, with commercial modules reaching up to 735 Wp and 24.8% efficiency, while the company has set a verified laboratory record of 27.79% TOPCon cell efficiency. Across its 545-model catalog, the average module power exceeds 511 Wp, the average temperature coefficient of Pmax sits at -0.308%/°C, and approximately 32% of the portfolio is bifacial - making it well-suited for utility-scale ground-mount projects, commercial C&I rooftops, and high-density residential installs alike. The average warranty across Jinko's lineup extends to over 28 years. Hounen Solar, by contrast, focuses primarily on the North American market with US-assembled PERC modules in the 400-720 W range and efficiency between 20% and 22.7%, positioning itself as a mid-range option that avoids US import tariffs through its South Carolina assembly facility.
For international buyers outside North America - including European project developers, commercial installers, and residential integrators - Jinko Solar is the clear choice on virtually every metric: scale, bankability, technology leadership, and product breadth. Hounen Solar's value proposition is tightly tied to the US domestic market and may not be competitive in regions where supply chain access, Tier 1 status, and long-term manufacturer viability are primary concerns.
Generated by Claude Sonnet · 2026-05-12
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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.