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

# KDM Kingdom Solar vs Q-Cells

Q-Cells has the broader catalog (89 vs 3 models). Q-Cells leads on peak efficiency at 23.20%. Q-Cells leans bifacial (39% of lineup).


## The two companies


| Attribute | KDM Kingdom Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Country | China | South Korea |
| Headquarters | Hefei | Seoul |
| Founded | 2010 | 1999 |
| Employees | 100 | 2000+ |
| Annual capacity | 1 GW/year | 11.2 GW/year |
| Tier 1 | no | yes |
| Listed |  | NASDAQ: HQCL |
| Website | [https://www.kdmsolar.com](https://www.kdmsolar.com) | [https://www.qcells.com](https://www.qcells.com) |

KDM Kingdom Solar is a Chinese solar module manufacturer based in Hefei, Anhui Province. The company specializes in manufacturing monocrystalline solar panels for global markets.

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 | KDM Kingdom Solar | Q-Cells | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panel Models | 3 | 89 | +86 |
| Max Power | 590 W | 675 W | +85 W |
| Avg Power | 533 W | 468 W | +65 W |


## Efficiency


| Measure | KDM Kingdom Solar | Q-Cells | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max Efficiency | 22.80% | 23.20% | +0.40 pp |
| Avg Efficiency | 22.46% | 21.21% | +1.24 pp |


## Reliability & Warranty


| Measure | KDM Kingdom Solar | Q-Cells | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.290%/°C | -0.325%/°C | +0.035 |
| Bifacial Share | 0 (0%) | 35 (39%) | +39 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 | KDM Kingdom Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 22-23% | 3 (100.0%) | 21 (23.6%) |
| \<20% | 0 | 7 (7.9%) |
| 20-21% | 0 | 29 (32.6%) |
| 21-22% | 0 | 30 (33.7%) |
| 23%+ | 0 | 2 (2.2%) |


## Power distribution

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


| Power band | KDM Kingdom Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 400-499W | 1 (33.3%) | 41 (46.1%) |
| 500-599W | 2 (66.7%) | 11 (12.4%) |
| \<400W | 0 | 20 (22.5%) |
| 600-699W | 0 | 17 (19.1%) |


## Cell technology

Dominant cell tech: **N-type** (100%)

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


| Technology | KDM Kingdom Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| N-type | 3 (100.0%) | 23 (25.8%) |
| PERC | 0 | 38 (42.7%) |
| Unknown | 0 | 20 (22.5%) |
| TOPCon | 0 | 8 (9.0%) |


## Top panels, KDM Kingdom Solar


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [KD-M590-144-N](https://comparepv.com/panel/kdm-kingdom-solar-kd-m590-144-n) | 590 | 22.8 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 2 | [KD-M570-144-N](https://comparepv.com/panel/kdm-kingdom-solar-kd-m570-144-n) | 570 | 22.1 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 3 | [KD-M440-108-N](https://comparepv.com/panel/kingdom-kd-m440-108-n) | 440 | 22.5 | -0.290 | 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

KDM Kingdom Solar, trading as KDM, is a Chinese manufacturer based in Linhai City, Zhejiang Province, operating under the full name Zhejiang Kingdom Solar Energy Technic Co., Ltd. The company reports an annual production capacity of approximately 1 GW and distributes modules in more than 100 countries. No BloombergNEF Tier 1 or equivalent bankability designation for KDM appears in current industry sources. Q-Cells is the solar brand of South Korean conglomerate Hanwha Group - the original Q-Cells GmbH was a German company founded in 1999 in Bitterfeld-Wolfen and acquired by Hanwha in 2012. Hanwha Q-Cells holds a confirmed BloombergNEF Top Tier bankability score, was named an S&P Global 2025 Tier 1 Cleantech company, and reports a global module production capacity of around 12.4 GW, with projected shipments exceeding 9 GW in 2025. It also operates the largest solar manufacturing facility in the Western Hemisphere in Dalton, Georgia. On institutional footprint, Q-Cells is the considerably larger and more bankable player.

KDM Kingdom Solar's catalog focuses on monocrystalline and polycrystalline modules aimed at budget commercial and export markets, with 182-series high-wattage panels among its more recent products. Specific cell architecture - whether PERC or TOPCon - was not confirmed in available 2025 sources. Q-Cells offers two well-documented product families: the Q.PEAK DUO series, built on PERC cell architecture with efficiency around 20 to 21 percent, and the newer Q.TRON series, which uses N-type TOPCon technology and reaches up to 22.5 percent efficiency on standard residential models. Both carry a 25-year product warranty - roughly double the industry norm - alongside proprietary anti-PID and anti-LID treatments. Q-Cells is widely deployed in premium residential rooftops and commercial installations across Europe, North America, and Australia.

For a typical buyer in 2025, Q-Cells is the safer default: confirmed bankability, strong warranty coverage, and broad installer support in major markets make it a straightforward choice for residential and commercial projects. KDM Kingdom Solar may suit price-sensitive buyers or developers in markets where Q-Cells distribution is thin, but its lower public profile and unverified bankability status add procurement risk. The two brands are not interchangeable - Q-Cells competes in the premium-to-mid-range tier where lender acceptance and long-term service matter, while KDM is better characterized as a budget or emerging-market option.

\---LINKS---

\- https://www.solarreviews.com/blog/hanwha-q-cells-solar-panels-complete-review \| Expert Review of Qcells Solar Panels for 2025 - SolarReviews \| review

\- https://www.pv-magazine.com/press-releases/q-cells-achieves-top-tier-class-bankability-score-in-latest-bloombergnef-report/ \| Q Cells achieves top-tier bankability score in BloombergNEF report \| article

\- 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.enfsolar.com/kingdom-solar \| Zhejiang Kingdom Solar Energy Technic Co. profile - ENF Solar \| article

Sources:

\- \[Expert Review Of Qcells Solar Panels For 2025\](https://www.solarreviews.com/blog/hanwha-q-cells-solar-panels-complete-review)

\- \[Q Cells achieves top-tier bankability score in BloombergNEF report\](https://www.pv-magazine.com/press-releases/q-cells-achieves-top-tier-class-bankability-score-in-latest-bloombergnef-report/)

\- \[Q CELLS Solar Panels Complete Review - EnergySage\](https://www.energysage.com/solar/best-solar-panels-complete-ranking/q-cells-solar-panels-complete-review/)

\- \[Hanwha Qcells named 2025 S&P Global Tier 1 Cleantech company\](https://www.hanwha.com/newsroom/news/press-releases/hanwha-qcells-named-an-s-p-global-2025-tier-1-cleantech-company.do)

\- \[Zhejiang Kingdom Solar Energy Technic Co. profile - ENF Solar\](https://www.enfsolar.com/kingdom-solar)

Written by claude-sonnet from the figures above.


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- [KDM Kingdom Solar vs A.B. Energy](https://comparepv.com/kdm-kingdom-solar-vs-a-b-energy)
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- [ARTsolar vs Q-Cells](https://comparepv.com/artsolar-vs-q-cells)


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

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