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

# KIOTO Solar vs Q-Cells

Q-Cells has the broader catalog (89 vs 7 models). Q-Cells leads on peak efficiency at 23.20%. KIOTO Solar leans bifacial (57% of lineup).


## The two companies


| Attribute | KIOTO Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Country | Austria | South Korea |
| Headquarters | St. Veit an der Glan | Seoul |
| Founded | 1991 | 1999 |
| Employees | 201-500 | 2000+ |
| Annual capacity | \<1 GW/year | 11.2 GW/year |
| Tier 1 | no | yes |
| Listed |  | NASDAQ: HQCL |
| Website | [https://www.kiotosolar.com](https://www.kiotosolar.com) | [https://www.qcells.com](https://www.qcells.com) |

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...

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 | KIOTO Solar | Q-Cells | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panel Models | 7 | 89 | +82 |
| Max Power | 450 W | 675 W | +225 W |
| Avg Power | 446 W | 468 W | +22 W |


## Efficiency


| Measure | KIOTO Solar | Q-Cells | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max Efficiency | 22.83% | 23.20% | +0.37 pp |
| Avg Efficiency | 22.53% | 21.21% | +1.32 pp |


## Reliability & Warranty


| Measure | KIOTO Solar | Q-Cells | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.309%/°C | -0.325%/°C | +0.016 |
| Bifacial Share | 4 (57%) | 35 (39%) | +18 pp |
| Avg Warranty | 27.1 yrs | 27.0 yrs | +0.2 yr |


## Efficiency distribution

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


| Efficiency band | KIOTO Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 22-23% | 7 (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 | KIOTO Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 400-499W | 7 (100.0%) | 41 (46.1%) |
| \<400W | 0 | 20 (22.5%) |
| 500-599W | 0 | 11 (12.4%) |
| 600-699W | 0 | 17 (19.1%) |


## Cell technology

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

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


| Technology | KIOTO Solar | Q-Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TOPCon | 7 (100.0%) | 8 (9.0%) |
| PERC | 0 | 38 (42.7%) |
| N-type | 0 | 23 (25.8%) |
| Unknown | 0 | 20 (22.5%) |


## 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 |


## 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

KIOTO Solar is an Austrian brand operating under SONNENKRAFT GmbH, headquartered in St. Veit/Glan, Austria, with roots going back more than 30 years in European renewable energy. The company manufactures its panels exclusively in Austria, which qualifies them for EU "Made in Europe" funding bonuses - a notable niche advantage in the Central European market. However, KIOTO Solar does not appear on Bloomberg NEF Tier 1 bankability lists, and its annual production scale remains modest compared to global leaders. Q-Cells, by contrast, was founded in Germany in 1999 and acquired in 2012 by South Korea's Hanwha Group, which transformed it into a major global brand now operating under the Hanwha Q CELLS name. It holds confirmed Bloomberg NEF Tier 1 status, ranks among the top three manufacturers in independent 2025 buyer surveys, and operates multi-gigawatt facilities including a 3.3 GW plant in Cartersville, Georgia - described as the largest solar factory in the Western Hemisphere. By any institutional measure, Q-Cells carries the stronger global footprint.

In terms of product scope, KIOTO Solar targets residential rooftops and small-to-mid commercial installations across the DACH region and broader Central Europe, with at least part of its lineup confirmed to use bifacial TOPCon half-cell technology reaching around 22.5% module efficiency. Q-Cells covers a much wider range - residential, commercial, and utility-scale ground mounts - primarily through its Q.ANTUM NEO platform, which is a proprietary TOPCon-based architecture. The Q.TRON G2, its current residential flagship, achieves over 22.5% efficiency and comes backed by an industry-standard 25-year product warranty. Q-Cells also prices itself roughly 15 to 20 percent below premium competitors such as Maxeon, placing it firmly in the high-quality but accessible segment.

For most buyers in 2025, Q-Cells is the more practical default: it combines verified bankability, wide installer network coverage, global parts availability, and proven TOPCon performance at competitive pricing. KIOTO Solar is a reasonable alternative for European buyers who specifically need "Made in Europe" certified panels to unlock regional subsidies or for procurement teams with a preference for local supply chains - but outside those specific contexts, its smaller institutional scale and limited global presence make it the narrower choice.

\---LINKS---

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

\- https://www.ecowatch.com/solar/reviews/qcells-solar-panels \| QCells Solar Panels Review 2025 - cost, efficiency and performance \| review

\- https://solartechonline.com/blog/hanwha-q-cells-solar-panels-review-2025/ \| Hanwha Q CELLS Solar Panels Review 2025 - expert analysis \| review

\- https://www.sonnenkraft.com/de/geschaeftskunden/unternehmen/neuigkeiten/news-detail/kioto-solar-pv-module-jetzt-made-in-europe-bonus-sichern.html \| KIOTO Solar PV modules - Made in Europe bonus eligibility 2025 \| article

\- https://www.hanwha.com/newsroom/news/press-releases/hanwha-qcells-new-cartersville-factory-set-for-33-gw-of-solar-module-production-per-year.do \| Hanwha Qcells Cartersville factory - 3.3 GW annual production \| article

Written by claude-sonnet from the figures above.


## Other comparisons

- [KIOTO Solar vs A.B. Energy](https://comparepv.com/kioto-solar-vs-a-b-energy)
- [AE Solar vs Q-Cells](https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-q-cells)
- [KIOTO Solar vs AEET](https://comparepv.com/kioto-solar-vs-aeet)
- [AIKO vs Q-Cells](https://comparepv.com/aiko-vs-q-cells)
- [KIOTO Solar vs AKCOME](https://comparepv.com/kioto-solar-vs-akcome)
- [ARTsolar vs Q-Cells](https://comparepv.com/artsolar-vs-q-cells)


---

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

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