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

# JA Solar vs Sunman

JA Solar has the broader catalog (504 vs 6 models). JA Solar leads on peak efficiency at 24.80%. JA Solar leans bifacial (47% of lineup).


## The two companies


| Attribute | JA Solar | Sunman |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Country | China | China |
| Headquarters | Beijing | Shanghai |
| Founded | 2005 | 2014 |
| Employees | 37,289 | 51-200 |
| Annual capacity | 100+ GW/year | 1-2 GW/year |
| Tier 1 | yes |  |
| Listed | SZSE: 002459 |  |
| Website | [https://www.jasolar.com](https://www.jasolar.com) | [https://www.sunman-energy.com](https://www.sunman-energy.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...

Sunman Energy is a technology company pioneering ultra-light, glass-free crystalline silicon solar modules under its proprietary eArc technology — the world's first such product, weighing up to 70% less than conventional glass panels. Founded by Dr. Zhengrong Shi (the founder of Suntech), the company targets niche...


## Catalog & Power


| Measure | JA Solar | Sunman | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panel Models | 504 | 6 | +498 |
| Max Power | 740 W | 520 W | +220 W |
| Avg Power | 456 W | 312 W | +144 W |


## Efficiency


| Measure | JA Solar | Sunman | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max Efficiency | 24.80% | 19.40% | +5.40 pp |
| Avg Efficiency | 21.13% | 17.74% | +3.39 pp |


## Reliability & Warranty


| Measure | JA Solar | Sunman | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.322%/°C | -0.356%/°C | +0.034 |
| Bifacial Share | 238 (47%) | 0 (0%) | +47 pp |
| Avg Warranty | 27.9 yrs | 25.0 yrs | +2.9 yr |


## Efficiency distribution

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


| Efficiency band | JA Solar | Sunman |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<20% | 112 (22.2%) | 6 (100.0%) |
| 20-21% | 99 (19.6%) | 0 |
| 21-22% | 112 (22.2%) | 0 |
| 22-23% | 107 (21.2%) | 0 |
| 23%+ | 74 (14.7%) | 0 |


## Power distribution

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


| Power band | JA Solar | Sunman |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<400W | 142 (28.2%) | 3 (50.0%) |
| 400-499W | 173 (34.3%) | 2 (33.3%) |
| 500-599W | 120 (23.8%) | 1 (16.7%) |
| 600-699W | 60 (11.9%) | 0 |
| 700W+ | 9 (1.8%) | 0 |


## Cell technology

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

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


| Technology | JA Solar | Sunman |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PERC | 247 (49.0%) | 6 (100.0%) |
| TOPCon | 146 (29.0%) | 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, Sunman


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [SMF520J-12X12UW](https://comparepv.com/panel/sunkean-smf520j-12x12uw) | 520 | 19.3 | -0.340 | Monocrystalline |
| 2 | [SMF430F-12X12UW](https://comparepv.com/panel/sunman-smf430f-12x12uw) | 430 | 19.4 | -0.380 | Monocrystalline |
| 3 | [SMF425F-12X12UW](https://comparepv.com/panel/sunman-smf425f-12x12uw) | 425 | 19.2 | -0.380 | Monocrystalline |
| 4 | [SMF200F-8X09DB-e](https://comparepv.com/panel/sunkean-smf200f-8x09db-e) | 200 | 16.3 | -0.340 | Monocrystalline |
| 5 | [SMF200J-6X10DB-e](https://comparepv.com/panel/sunkean-smf200j-6x10db-e) | 200 | 16.6 | -0.340 | Monocrystalline |
| 6 | [SMF100F-3X12UW](https://comparepv.com/panel/sunman-smf100f-3x12uw) | 100 | 15.7 | - | Monocrystalline |


## Summary

JA Solar, founded in 2005 and headquartered in China, is one of the world's largest solar panel manufacturers, employing over 37,000 people and operating a production capacity exceeding 100 GW per year. The company holds Tier 1 bankable status and is publicly listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, making it a well-recognized partner for project financing across residential, commercial, and utility-scale segments globally. Its portfolio spans 524 module models reaching up to 740 Wp in peak power, with average module efficiency around 20.9% and an average warranty close to 28 years. Sunman, founded in 2014 and also based in China, is a substantially smaller and more specialized manufacturer with 51-200 employees and a production capacity of only 1-2 GW per year. The company is not Tier 1 rated and carries no public listing, but has established a clear identity around its patented glass-free eArc module technology. With just six models in its portfolio and a maximum power output of 520 Wp, Sunman deliberately targets niche segments rather than competing on volume or breadth.

JA Solar's portfolio covers a wide range of use cases, with PERC cell technology leading at over 52% of offerings and bifacial modules accounting for more than 44% of the lineup - well suited to bifacial ground-mount systems seeking rear-side energy gains. A temperature coefficient averaging -0.32%/°C and a broad wattage range make JA Solar a strong fit for residential rooftop installs, utility-scale ground-mount projects, and commercial C&I deployments where bankability, long-term supply security, and competitive pricing matter most. Sunman's eArc modules, constructed from a polymer composite instead of glass, weigh roughly 70% less than conventional framed panels of equivalent wattage and can be adhesive-mounted without roof penetration. This makes them a compelling option for heritage buildings, low load-bearing industrial and logistics rooftops, building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), vehicle applications, and off-grid mobile deployments. The trade-off is a lower efficiency ceiling of 19.4%, no bifacial options, a slightly worse temperature coefficient of -0.356%/°C, and a higher cost per watt relative to standard glass modules.

For most international buyers - whether procuring for residential installations, C&I rooftops, or ground-mount utility farms - JA Solar is the stronger general-purpose choice, combining manufacturing scale, Tier 1 status, a deep product range, and proven field reliability. Sunman is a well-engineered solution for a specific problem: installations where ultra-light weight or non-penetrative fixing is a hard structural or regulatory requirement, and in those cases it has no direct equivalent in this comparison.

Written by claude-sonnet from the figures above.


## Other comparisons

- [JA Solar vs A.B. Energy](https://comparepv.com/ja-solar-vs-a-b-energy)
- [AE Solar vs Sunman](https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-sunman)
- [JA Solar vs AEET](https://comparepv.com/ja-solar-vs-aeet)
- [AIKO vs Sunman](https://comparepv.com/aiko-vs-sunman)
- [JA Solar vs AKCOME](https://comparepv.com/ja-solar-vs-akcome)
- [ARTsolar vs Sunman](https://comparepv.com/artsolar-vs-sunman)


---

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

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