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

# KB Solar vs Q-Cells

Q-Cells has the broader catalog (89 vs 5 models). Q-Cells leads on peak efficiency at 23.20%. KB Solar leans bifacial (100% of lineup).


## The two companies


| Attribute | KB Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Country |  | South Korea |
| Headquarters |  | Seoul |
| Founded |  | 1999 |
| Employees |  | 2000+ |
| Annual capacity |  | 11.2 GW/year |
| Tier 1 | no | yes |
| Listed |  | NASDAQ: HQCL |
| Website |  | [https://www.qcells.com](https://www.qcells.com) |

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 | KB Solar | Q-Cells | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panel Models | 5 | 89 | +84 |
| Max Power | 385 W | 675 W | +290 W |
| Avg Power | 375 W | 468 W | +93 W |


## Efficiency


| Measure | KB Solar | Q-Cells | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max Efficiency | 20.90% | 23.20% | +2.30 pp |
| Avg Efficiency | 20.38% | 21.21% | +0.83 pp |


## Reliability & Warranty


| Measure | KB Solar | Q-Cells | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.330%/°C | -0.325%/°C | +0.005 |
| Bifacial Share | 5 (100%) | 35 (39%) | +61 pp |
| Avg Warranty | 30.0 yrs | 27.0 yrs | +3.0 yr |


## Efficiency distribution

Q-Cells skews to higher efficiency: 2% of lineup is 23%+


| Efficiency band | KB Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 20-21% | 5 (100.0%) | 29 (32.6%) |
| \<20% | 0 | 7 (7.9%) |
| 21-22% | 0 | 30 (33.7%) |
| 22-23% | 0 | 21 (23.6%) |
| 23%+ | 0 | 2 (2.2%) |


## Power distribution

Q-Cells offers more 600W+ panels (19% of lineup)


| Power band | KB Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<400W | 5 (100.0%) | 20 (22.5%) |
| 400-499W | 0 | 41 (46.1%) |
| 500-599W | 0 | 11 (12.4%) |
| 600-699W | 0 | 17 (19.1%) |


## Cell technology

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

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


| Technology | KB Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PERC | 5 (100.0%) | 38 (42.7%) |
| N-type | 0 | 23 (25.8%) |
| Unknown | 0 | 20 (22.5%) |
| TOPCon | 0 | 8 (9.0%) |


## Top panels, KB Solar


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [KBS-385](https://comparepv.com/panel/kb-solar-kbs-385) | 385 | 20.9 | -0.330 | Monocrystalline |
| 2 | [KBS-380](https://comparepv.com/panel/kb-solar-kbs-380) | 380 | 20.6 | -0.330 | Monocrystalline |
| 3 | [KBS-375](https://comparepv.com/panel/kb-solar-kbs-375) | 375 | 20.3 | -0.330 | Monocrystalline |
| 4 | [KBS-370](https://comparepv.com/panel/kb-solar-kbs-370) | 370 | 20.1 | -0.330 | Monocrystalline |
| 5 | [KBS-365](https://comparepv.com/panel/kb-solar-kbs-365) | 365 | 20.0 | -0.330 | 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

KB Solar is a small US manufacturer headquartered in Spartanburg, South Carolina, founded in 2021 and producing panels since 2022. With an annual production capacity of approximately 120 MW, it operates at a regional scale and functions simultaneously as a panel maker, wholesaler, distributor, and solar installer. It does not appear on BloombergNEF Tier 1 bankability lists. Q-Cells, operating under parent brand Hanwha Q CELLS with South Korean conglomerate Hanwha Group as its owner and roots tracing back to the German Q-Cells AG founded in the late 1990s, is a globally recognized Tier 1 manufacturer. BloombergNEF ranks it with a 91% bankability score, and it was named an S&P Global 2025 Tier 1 Cleantech company. Its combined global manufacturing capacity exceeds 11 GW per year, and its Dalton, Georgia facility is considered the largest solar manufacturing plant in the Western Hemisphere. Q-Cells carries a substantially stronger institutional footprint by any measure.

On the product side, KB Solar's current lineup uses 12BB PERC cells in a half-cell configuration, available in both monofacial and bifacial formats, targeting residential, commercial, and farm applications. The company offers a 30-year power output warranty and a 12-year product warranty, which is respectable for a brand of its scale. Q-Cells centers its residential offering on the proprietary Q.ANTUM technology platform - a PERC-derived architecture with anti-PID and anti-LID protections - and its newer Q.TRON series achieves panel efficiencies up to 23.7%. Q-Cells backs current residential models with a 25-year product warranty and guarantees at least 90.58% output retention after 25 years on the Q.TRON line, placing it firmly in the premium residential and light-commercial segment.

For most buyers in 2025, Q-Cells is the clearer default: its Tier 1 bankability eases project financing, its warranty terms are more robust, and its manufacturing scale supports more consistent quality control. KB Solar may appeal to buyers who specifically want a locally sourced US-made panel at a competitive price point and are comfortable with a less-established warranty backstop from a newer brand.

\---LINKS---

\- https://www.solarreviews.com/blog/hanwha-q-cells-solar-panels-complete-review \| Expert review of Q CELLS solar panels 2025 - SolarReviews \| review

\- https://www.energysage.com/solar/best-solar-panels-complete-ranking/q-cells-solar-panels-complete-review/ \| Q CELLS solar panels 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 Q CELLS named S&P Global 2025 Tier 1 Cleantech company \| article

\- https://diysolarforum.com/threads/anyone-use-kb-solar-panels-other-panel-recommendations.69321/ \| KB Solar panels user discussion - DIY Solar Forum \| review

\- https://findenergy.com/solar/kb-solar-of-spartanburg/ \| KB Solar of Spartanburg - pricing and reviews \| review

Written by claude-sonnet from the figures above.


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- [KB Solar vs A.B. Energy](https://comparepv.com/kb-solar-vs-a-b-energy)
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- [AIKO vs Q-Cells](https://comparepv.com/aiko-vs-q-cells)
- [KB Solar vs AKCOME](https://comparepv.com/kb-solar-vs-akcome)
- [ARTsolar vs Q-Cells](https://comparepv.com/artsolar-vs-q-cells)


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

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