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

# JA Solar vs KIOTO Solar

JA Solar has the broader catalog (504 vs 7 models). JA Solar leads on peak efficiency at 24.80%.


## The two companies


| Attribute | JA Solar | KIOTO Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Country | China | Austria |
| Headquarters | Beijing | St. Veit an der Glan |
| Founded | 2005 | 1991 |
| Employees | 37,289 | 201-500 |
| Annual capacity | 100+ GW/year | \<1 GW/year |
| Tier 1 | yes | no |
| Listed | SZSE: 002459 |  |
| Website | [https://www.jasolar.com](https://www.jasolar.com) | [https://www.kiotosolar.com](https://www.kiotosolar.com) |

JA Solar is a global leader in the manufacturing of high-performance photovoltaic products. Founded in 2005, the company designs, develops, manufactures, and sells solar cells and modules. JA Solar's products are used in ground-mounted power plants, commercial & industrial rooftop PV systems, and residential rooftop...

KIOTO Solar (KIOTO Photovoltaics GmbH) is an Austrian manufacturer of photovoltaic modules, producing panels exclusively at its facility in St. Veit an der Glan, Carinthia. The company traces its roots to 1991 as part of the Sonnenkraft group, with PV module production beginning in 2005. It is the market leader for PV...


## Catalog & Power


| Measure | JA Solar | KIOTO Solar | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panel Models | 504 | 7 | +497 |
| Max Power | 740 W | 450 W | +290 W |
| Avg Power | 456 W | 446 W | +10 W |


## Efficiency


| Measure | JA Solar | KIOTO Solar | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max Efficiency | 24.80% | 22.83% | +1.97 pp |
| Avg Efficiency | 21.13% | 22.53% | +1.40 pp |


## Reliability & Warranty


| Measure | JA Solar | KIOTO Solar | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.322%/°C | -0.309%/°C | +0.013 |
| Bifacial Share | 238 (47%) | 4 (57%) | +10 pp |
| Avg Warranty | 27.9 yrs | 27.1 yrs | +0.7 yr |


## Efficiency distribution

JA Solar skews to higher efficiency: 15% of lineup is 23%+


| Efficiency band | JA Solar | KIOTO Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<20% | 112 (22.2%) | 0 |
| 20-21% | 99 (19.6%) | 0 |
| 21-22% | 112 (22.2%) | 0 |
| 22-23% | 107 (21.2%) | 7 (100.0%) |
| 23%+ | 74 (14.7%) | 0 |


## Power distribution

JA Solar offers more 600W+ panels (14% of lineup)


| Power band | JA Solar | KIOTO Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<400W | 142 (28.2%) | 0 |
| 400-499W | 173 (34.3%) | 7 (100.0%) |
| 500-599W | 120 (23.8%) | 0 |
| 600-699W | 60 (11.9%) | 0 |
| 700W+ | 9 (1.8%) | 0 |


## Cell technology

Dominant cell tech: **PERC** (49%)

Dominant cell tech: **TOPCon** (100%)


| Technology | JA Solar | KIOTO Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PERC | 247 (49.0%) | 0 |
| TOPCon | 146 (29.0%) | 7 (100.0%) |
| N-type | 90 (17.9%) | 0 |
| Unknown | 16 (3.2%) | 0 |
| HJT | 5 (1.0%) | 0 |


## Top panels, JA Solar


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [JAM66D46-740/LB](https://comparepv.com/panel/ja-solar-jam66d46-740-lb) | 740 | 23.8 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 2 | [JAM66D46-735/LB](https://comparepv.com/panel/ja-solar-jam66d46-735-lb) | 735 | 23.7 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 3 | [JAM66D46-730/LB](https://comparepv.com/panel/ja-solar-jam66d46-730-lb) | 730 | 23.5 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 4 | [JAM66D46-725/LB](https://comparepv.com/panel/ja-solar-jam66d46-725-lb) | 725 | 23.3 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 5 | [JAM66D46-720/LB](https://comparepv.com/panel/ja-solar-jam66d46-720-lb) | 720 | 23.2 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 6 | [JAM66D46-715/LB](https://comparepv.com/panel/ja-solar-jam66d46-715-lb) | 715 | 23.0 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 7 | [JAM66D46-710/LB](https://comparepv.com/panel/ja-solar-jam66d46-710-lb) | 710 | 22.9 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 8 | [JAM66D46-705/LB](https://comparepv.com/panel/ja-solar-jam66d46-705-lb) | 705 | 22.7 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 9 | [JAM66D46-700/LB](https://comparepv.com/panel/ja-solar-jam66d46-700-lb) | 700 | 22.5 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 10 | [JAM66D46-695/LB](https://comparepv.com/panel/ja-solar-jam66d46-695-lb) | 695 | 22.4 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |


## Top panels, KIOTO Solar


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [KPV 450 Wp HC NE](https://comparepv.com/panel/kioto-solar-kpv-450-wp-hc-ne) | 450 | 22.5 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |
| 2 | [KPV 450Wp HC](https://comparepv.com/panel/kioto-solar-kpv-450wp-hc) | 450 | 22.5 | -0.320 | Monocrystalline |
| 3 | [KPV 450Wp HC NE (G/G-TC)](https://comparepv.com/panel/kioto-solar-kpv-450wp-hc-ne-g-g-tc) | 450 | 22.5 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |
| 4 | [KPV 445Wp HC](https://comparepv.com/panel/kioto-solar-kpv-445wp-hc) | 445 | 22.8 | -0.320 | Monocrystalline |
| 5 | [KPV 445Wp HC NE (G/G-TC)](https://comparepv.com/panel/kioto-solar-kpv-445wp-hc-ne-g-g-tc) | 445 | 22.8 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |
| 6 | [KPV 440 Wp HCB](https://comparepv.com/panel/kioto-solar-kpv-440-wp-hcb) | 440 | 22.0 | -0.320 | Monocrystalline |
| 7 | [KPV 440Wp HC NE (G/G-TC)](https://comparepv.com/panel/kioto-solar-kpv-440wp-hc-ne-g-g-tc) | 440 | 22.5 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |


## Summary

JA Solar and KIOTO Solar represent opposite ends of the solar manufacturing spectrum. JA Solar, founded in 2005 and headquartered in China, employs over 37,000 people and operates production capacity exceeding 100 GW, placing it firmly among the world's top-tier PV manufacturers. The company is Tier 1 bankable and listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, giving it broad access to project financing globally. Its product portfolio spans 524 panel models with a maximum output of 740 Wp and a maximum efficiency of 24.4%. KIOTO Solar, founded in 1991 in Austria, is a regional European manufacturer with a workforce of 201-500 employees and production capacity below 1 GW. It is not Tier 1 rated, offers just 7 panel models, but positions itself as a premium European producer with a "Made in Austria" identity - backed by production sites in Carinthia and Styria. Since 2020, KIOTO Solar has operated under the Sonnenkraft group, which expanded its capacity from 180 MW to approximately 340 MW.

On the technology side, JA Solar's portfolio is anchored in PERC cells (52% of its lineup), with TOPCon gaining ground in newer series such as the Deep Blue 4.0 Pro. Average panel efficiency across the portfolio sits at 20.87%, reflecting the breadth of the range from entry-level to high-performance modules. KIOTO Solar's entire current portfolio is built on TOPCon technology, delivering a noticeably higher average efficiency of 22.53% and a slightly better temperature coefficient of Pmax at -0.309%/°C versus -0.323%/°C for JA Solar. With 57% of its panels bifacial, KIOTO also shows a higher bifacial ratio than JA Solar's 44%. JA Solar's scale makes it the natural choice for utility-scale ground-mount and large commercial C&I projects where bankability, supply chain reliability, and competitive per-watt pricing are decisive. KIOTO Solar suits space-constrained residential rooftop installations and premium commercial projects where high efficiency per square meter, short European supply chains, and product origin matter.

For international buyers choosing between the two, the decision hinges on project type and procurement priorities. JA Solar is the lower-risk choice for large-scale or financed projects - its Tier 1 status, massive production depth, and broad distribution network are hard to match. KIOTO Solar is the stronger option for buyers who place a premium on European manufacturing provenance, TOPCon efficiency across the entire range, and projects in markets - particularly Central and Western Europe - where local content or supply chain resilience is a differentiator. Both manufacturers offer comparable average warranty durations of roughly 27-28 years.

Written by claude-sonnet from the figures above.


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Source: https://comparepv.com/ja-solar-vs-kioto-solar

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