Panasonic vs ARTsolar - solar panel manufacturer comparison
Panasonic has the broader catalog (25 vs 0 models). Panasonic leans bifacial (16% 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
Panasonic is a global leader in the development of innovative technologies and solutions for wide-ranging applications in the consumer electronics, housing, automotive, industry, communications, and energy sectors. The company was founded in 1918 by Konosuke Matsushita and has been committed to enhancing the quality...
- Founded
- 1918
- Headquarters
- Kadoma, near Ōsaka, Japan
- Annual capacity
- 1+ GW/year
- Employees
- 9,500+
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
Dominant cell tech: <strong>HJT</strong> (88%)
The flagships
Written summary
ARTsolar is a South African solar panel manufacturer founded in 2010 and headquartered in Durban - the country's only locally owned PV module producer. Following a June 2025 agreement with Chinese module maker JA Solar, the company operates a 340 MW assembly line producing large-format panels aimed at South Africa's independent power producer procurement programs. ARTsolar does not appear on the BloombergNEF Tier 1 bankability roster, which is typical for regional manufacturers of its scale. Panasonic is a Japanese conglomerate founded in 1918 that spent three decades building a globally recognized premium solar brand, inheriting heterojunction (HJT) technology from its 2011 Sanyo acquisition. Panasonic exited solar and battery storage entirely in April 2025, citing unsustainable price pressure from Chinese competitors. At its peak it carried far the stronger global institutional footprint, though that status is now historical.
ARTsolar's product lineup targets utility-scale and large commercial rooftop projects in South Africa, with a focus on satisfying the local content requirements embedded in national procurement programs. Through its JA Solar partnership it assembles large-format modules - consistent with JA Solar's current DeepBlue 4.0 Pro TOPCon family - and offers a 30-year linear output guarantee. Panasonic, before its exit, served the premium residential rooftop segment globally with HJT-based EverVolt panels achieving up to 22.2% efficiency and class-leading temperature coefficients. Its 25-year AllGuard warranty covering product, performance, parts, and labor was widely regarded as one of the most comprehensive in the industry.
For buyers in 2025, this comparison is largely academic. ARTsolar addresses a regulation-driven niche inside South Africa and is not meaningfully available elsewhere. Panasonic panels are no longer manufactured, and buyers seeking HJT technology are now directed to REC Alpha panels, which share the same cell design and production origins as Panasonic's EverVolt line. Existing Panasonic installations remain covered by valid warranties, but no new product pipeline exists.
- JA Solar and ARTsolar agree to expand PV module manufacturing in South Africa
- ARTsolar and JA Solar driving South Africa's renewable energy revolution
- Panasonic exits solar and battery storage, ending decades-long journey
- Panasonic is closing its solar and battery storage business
- 2025 Panasonic Solar Panels: Expert Review - SolarReviews
Generated by Claude Sonnet · 2026-06-21
Other brand comparisons
Shop prices: See 3 Panasonic offers
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.