New East Solar vs Q-Cells - solar panel manufacturer comparison
Q-Cells has the broader catalog (89 vs 30 models). Q-Cells leads on peak efficiency at 23.20%. New East Solar leans bifacial (67% of lineup).
Both catalogues are read from the manufacturers' own datasheets. A brand is not scored against the market here, only against the other brand on this page.
The two companies
New East Solar Energy (NE Solar) is a Cambodia-based solar cell and module manufacturer specializing in high-efficiency Mono and Poly PERC solar cells and modules. The company operates manufacturing facilities in Cambodia, Indonesia, and a new 2 GW factory in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. NE Solar holds a BNEF Tier 1...
- Headquarters
- Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- Annual capacity
- 5-10 GW/year
- Employees
- 201-500
- Tier 1 bankable
- Yes
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...
- Founded
- 1999
- Headquarters
- Seoul, South Korea
- Annual capacity
- 11.2 GW/year
- Employees
- 2000+
- Listed
- NASDAQ: HQCL
- Tier 1 bankable
- Yes
Catalogue against catalogue
An average over a catalogue describes the range a manufacturer publishes, not the module you would buy. A brand with two flagship panels and eighty older ones averages worse than one that has retired its back catalogue.
What each of them builds
New East Solar skews to higher efficiency: 7% of lineup is 23%+
New East Solar offers more 600W+ panels (33% of lineup)
Dominant cell tech: <strong>TOPCon</strong> (67%)
Dominant cell tech: <strong>PERC</strong> (43%)
The flagships
Written summary
New East Solar Energy, trading as NE Solar, is headquartered in Cambodia and operates manufacturing plants in Cambodia, Indonesia, and a 2-GW facility that opened in Phoenix, Arizona, giving the company a total reported nameplate capacity of around 6.7 GW. The company achieved a Bloomberg New Energy Finance Tier 1 ranking in 2024 and has had its modules recognized as PVEL Top Performers, which underlines a credible quality-control track record for a brand that is still building its market presence. Q-Cells, by contrast, traces its roots to Germany and is today owned by South Korea's Hanwha Group. It holds both a BNEF Top Tier bankability score and a 2025 S&P Global Tier 1 Cleantech designation, with a global module production capacity reported at roughly 11-12 GW and the largest solar manufacturing plant in the Western Hemisphere located in Dalton, Georgia. On sheer institutional depth and long-term brand recognition, Q-Cells currently carries the stronger footprint.
New East Solar's catalog has been positioned toward large-scale commercial and utility-scale ground-mounted projects, where its PVEL test results and Tier 1 status allow it to compete for project financing. Q-Cells addresses a broader market: its Q.PEAK DUO line, built on PERC cell technology, targets cost-sensitive commercial rooftops, while the Q.TRON series uses heterojunction (HJT) cell architecture and achieves efficiencies up to around 22-23%, making it competitive for premium residential installations. Q-Cells backs current residential models with a 25-year product warranty and guarantees at least 90.58% output retention after 25 years on its Q.TRON line, terms that are difficult for a younger brand to match on a broad scale.
For a typical residential or small commercial buyer in 2025, Q-Cells is the safer default: it offers a proven warranty framework, deep installer network support, U.S.-made inventory, and a multi-decade track record of field performance. New East Solar is a credible choice for developers and EPCs running utility or large C&I projects where PVEL data and bankability matter more than brand familiarity, but it is not yet the obvious pick for everyday rooftop buyers.
- NE Solar achieves BNEF Tier 1 ranking, opens Phoenix facility
- Cambodia's NE Solar to open 2-GW solar panel factory in Phoenix
- Expert review of Qcells solar panels for 2025 - SolarReviews
- Q Cells achieves top tier class bankability score in BloombergNEF report
- Q CELLS solar panels complete review - EnergySage
Generated by Claude Sonnet · 2026-06-05
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Comparisons are computed from manufacturer datasheets held in the ComparePV database and may not reflect a brand's complete current lineup. Nothing on this page is paid placement.