Hyundai vs Thornova Solar - solar panel manufacturer comparison
Hyundai has the broader catalog (65 vs 0 models). Hyundai leans bifacial (66% 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
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...
- Founded
- 2004
- Headquarters
- Seongnam-si, South Korea
- Annual capacity
- 1.35 GW/year
- Employees
- 206
- Tier 1 bankable
- Yes
Thornova Solar, formerly known as Sunova Solar Technology Co., Ltd., is a Chinese manufacturer of high-efficiency photovoltaic modules and solar cells with production facilities in China and Indonesia. The company specializes in advanced solar panel technology and holds BNEF Tier 1 bankable module manufacturer status...
- Founded
- 2016
- Headquarters
- Wuxi, China
- Annual capacity
- 5-10 GW/year
- Employees
- 500-1000
- 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
Hyundai skews to higher efficiency: 6% of lineup is 23%+
Hyundai offers more 600W+ panels (5% of lineup)
Dominant cell tech: <strong>HJT</strong> (38%)
The flagships
Written summary
Hyundai Energy Solutions, the solar division of South Korean industrial conglomerate HD Hyundai, has manufactured photovoltaic panels since the early 2000s and holds Tier 1 bankable status as recognized by market analysts. The company produces modules at its Korean facilities, making it one of the few non-Chinese Tier 1 manufacturers actively supplying the residential and commercial market globally. Thornova Solar, by contrast, was founded in 2022 and is headquartered in Fremont, California, operating as an independent subsidiary of China-based Sunova Solar Technology. Despite its youth, Thornova was added to BloombergNEF's Tier 1 module manufacturer list in Q3 2023 and had shipped a reported 7.1 GW of cumulative modules worldwide by the end of 2024, reflecting rapid commercial traction. On institutional depth and operating history, Hyundai holds the clear advantage.
Hyundai's current lineup focuses on residential and light commercial rooftops, with its XG and NF series using half-cut monocrystalline cells and, more recently, N-type TOPCon technology - module efficiencies in these lines reach into the low-to-mid 22% range, and performance warranties extend to 25-30 years. Thornova's portfolio spans a wider wattage band, from roughly 400 W to over 600 W, covering residential through utility-scale ground-mount applications. Its Tangra N-type TOPCon modules earned Kiwa PVEL 2025 Top Performer recognition, and the company emphasizes bifacial glass-glass construction suited to demanding outdoor environments.
For a typical residential buyer in 2025, Hyundai is the safer choice when brand familiarity and long institutional credibility are priorities. Thornova is a credible alternative - particularly for commercial or utility-adjacent buyers seeking higher-wattage bifacial modules at competitive pricing - but its shorter operating history warrants additional due diligence on local installer support and warranty backstop strength.
Generated by Claude Sonnet · 2026-06-09
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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.