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

# Hounen Solar vs Q-Cells

Q-Cells has the broader catalog (89 vs 44 models). Hounen Solar leads on peak efficiency at 23.34%. Hounen Solar leans bifacial (86% of lineup).


## The two companies


| Attribute | Hounen Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Country | China | South Korea |
| Headquarters | Haining | Seoul |
| Founded | 2010 | 1999 |
| Employees | 200-500 | 2000+ |
| Annual capacity | 1-2 GW/year | 11.2 GW/year |
| Tier 1 |  | yes |
| Listed |  | NASDAQ: HQCL |
| Website | [https://www.hounensolar.com](https://www.hounensolar.com) | [https://www.qcells.com](https://www.qcells.com) |

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...

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 | Hounen Solar | Q-Cells | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panel Models | 44 | 89 | +45 |
| Max Power | 725 W | 675 W | +50 W |
| Avg Power | 569 W | 468 W | +100 W |


## Efficiency


| Measure | Hounen Solar | Q-Cells | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max Efficiency | 23.34% | 23.20% | +0.14 pp |
| Avg Efficiency | 21.75% | 21.21% | +0.53 pp |


## Reliability & Warranty


| Measure | Hounen Solar | Q-Cells | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.325%/°C | -0.325%/°C | +0.000 |
| Bifacial Share | 38 (86%) | 35 (39%) | +47 pp |
| Avg Warranty | 28.6 yrs | 27.0 yrs | +1.7 yr |


## Efficiency distribution

Hounen Solar skews to higher efficiency: 7% of lineup is 23%+


| Efficiency band | Hounen Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 20-21% | 7 (15.9%) | 29 (32.6%) |
| 21-22% | 20 (45.5%) | 30 (33.7%) |
| 22-23% | 14 (31.8%) | 21 (23.6%) |
| 23%+ | 3 (6.8%) | 2 (2.2%) |
| \<20% | 0 | 7 (7.9%) |


## Power distribution

Hounen Solar offers more 600W+ panels (43% of lineup)


| Power band | Hounen Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<400W | 1 (2.3%) | 20 (22.5%) |
| 400-499W | 10 (22.7%) | 41 (46.1%) |
| 500-599W | 14 (31.8%) | 11 (12.4%) |
| 600-699W | 13 (29.5%) | 17 (19.1%) |
| 700W+ | 6 (13.6%) | 0 |


## Cell technology

Dominant cell tech: **N-type** (48%)

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


| Technology | Hounen Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unknown | 23 (52.3%) | 20 (22.5%) |
| N-type | 21 (47.7%) | 23 (25.8%) |
| PERC | 0 | 38 (42.7%) |
| TOPCon | 0 | 8 (9.0%) |


## Top panels, Hounen Solar


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [HNM8-GPLDD132-725/N](https://comparepv.com/panel/hounen-solar-hnm8-gpldd132-725-n) | 725 | 23.3 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |
| 2 | [HNM8-GPLDD132-720/N](https://comparepv.com/panel/hounen-solar-hnm8-gpldd132-720-n) | 720 | 23.2 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |
| 3 | [HNM8-GPLDD132-715/N](https://comparepv.com/panel/hounen-solar-hnm8-gpldd132-715-n) | 715 | 23.0 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |
| 4 | [HNM8-GPLDD132-710/N](https://comparepv.com/panel/hounen-solar-hnm8-gpldd132-710-n) | 710 | 22.9 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |
| 5 | [HNM8-GPLDD132-705/N](https://comparepv.com/panel/hounen-solar-hnm8-gpldd132-705-n) | 705 | 22.7 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |
| 6 | [HNM8-GPLDD132-700/N](https://comparepv.com/panel/hounen-solar-hnm8-gpldd132-700-n) | 700 | 22.5 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |
| 7 | [HNM8-TPLDD132-670/M](https://comparepv.com/panel/hounen-solar-hnm8-tpldd132-670-m) | 670 | 21.6 | -0.340 | Monocrystalline |
| 8 | [HNM8-TPLDD132-665/M](https://comparepv.com/panel/hounen-solar-hnm8-tpldd132-665-m) | 665 | 21.4 | -0.340 | Monocrystalline |
| 9 | [HNM8-TPLDD132-660/M](https://comparepv.com/panel/hounen-solar-hnm8-tpldd132-660-m) | 660 | 21.2 | -0.340 | Monocrystalline |
| 10 | [HNM8-TPLDD132-655/M](https://comparepv.com/panel/hounen-solar-hnm8-tpldd132-655-m) | 655 | 21.1 | -0.340 | Monocrystalline |


## 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

Hounen Solar is a relatively young US-based manufacturer, founded in 2022 and operating a module assembly facility in Orangeburg, South Carolina. The company was established to take advantage of domestic manufacturing incentives and targets the American market directly. As of mid-2026, Hounen has been building toward a 1 GW annual production capacity at its South Carolina plant and was publicly aiming for Tier 1 bankability recognition by the end of 2025, though it has not yet appeared on BloombergNEF's confirmed Tier 1 lists. Q-Cells, now operating under the Hanwha Group banner as Hanwha Qcells, has a far longer institutional history - it was founded in 1999 in Germany, became part of South Korean conglomerate Hanwha in 2012, and now maintains a global production capacity reported at over 11 GW annually. Hanwha Qcells holds a confirmed BNEF Top Tier bankability score and was named an S&P Global 2025 Tier 1 Cleantech company. On institutional footprint and bankability, Hanwha Qcells holds a decisive advantage.

Hounen Solar's current lineup spans roughly 400W residential modules up to 720W commercial formats, all assembled in the US from imported cells, and currently relies on PERC cell technology - the company has signaled a future transition to HJT and eventually tandem HJT-perovskite, but those products are not yet in production. Hounen's domestic assembly is its primary commercial differentiator, potentially reducing tariff exposure for US buyers. Hanwha Qcells serves a broader range of segments - premium residential rooftops, commercial installations, and utility-scale ground mounts - and its product families include the PERC-based Q.PEAK DUO series and the newer Q.TRON line, which is based on more advanced cell passivation and delivers efficiency ratings up to around 23.7% with a notably low annual degradation rate of 0.33%. Qcells also manufactures many of its US-market modules in Dalton, Georgia, and is building a fully integrated ingot-to-module supply chain in Cartersville, Georgia.

For most buyers in 2025, Hanwha Qcells is the safer default: it carries well-established bankability credentials, a longer track record, broader product depth, and more competitive warranties - 25 years on product and performance across its residential line. Hounen Solar may appeal specifically to buyers who need US-assembled modules to satisfy procurement rules or tariff constraints and are comfortable with a younger brand, but its institutional profile is still developing. The two are not interchangeable for large commercial or financed projects where bankability ratings matter to lenders.

\---LINKS---

\- https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/09/30/hounen-solar-showcases-solar-modules-for-the-us-market/ \| Hounen Solar showcases solar modules for the US market - PV Magazine \| article

\- https://www.pv-magazine.com/2023/03/17/hounen-to-build-1-gw-solar-module-factory-in-us/ \| Hounen to build 1 GW solar module factory in US - PV Magazine \| article

\- https://www.solarreviews.com/blog/hanwha-q-cells-solar-panels-complete-review \| Expert Review of Qcells Solar Panels for 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.hanwha.com/newsroom/news/press-releases/hanwha-qcells-named-an-s-p-global-2025-tier-1-cleantech-company.do \| Hanwha Qcells named 2025 S&P Global Tier 1 Cleantech company \| article

Written by claude-sonnet from the figures above.


## Other comparisons

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


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

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