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

# Q-Cells vs Sun Earth

Q-Cells has the broader catalog (89 vs 60 models). Sun Earth leads on peak efficiency at 23.80%. Sun Earth leans bifacial (63% of lineup).


## The two companies


| Attribute | Q-Cells | Sun Earth |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Country | South Korea |  |
| Headquarters | Seoul |  |
| Founded | 1999 |  |
| Employees | 2000+ |  |
| Annual capacity | 11.2 GW/year |  |
| Tier 1 | yes | no |
| 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 | Q-Cells | Sun Earth | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panel Models | 89 | 60 | +29 |
| Max Power | 675 W | 610 W | +65 W |
| Avg Power | 468 W | 510 W | +42 W |


## Efficiency


| Measure | Q-Cells | Sun Earth | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max Efficiency | 23.20% | 23.80% | +0.60 pp |
| Avg Efficiency | 21.21% | 22.42% | +1.20 pp |


## Reliability & Warranty


| Measure | Q-Cells | Sun Earth | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.325%/°C | -0.294%/°C | +0.031 |
| Bifacial Share | 35 (39%) | 38 (63%) | +24 pp |
| Avg Warranty | 27.0 yrs | 30.9 yrs | +4.0 yr |


## Efficiency distribution

Sun Earth skews to higher efficiency: 37% of lineup is 23%+


| Efficiency band | Q-Cells | Sun Earth |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<20% | 7 (7.9%) | 2 (3.3%) |
| 20-21% | 29 (32.6%) | 2 (3.3%) |
| 21-22% | 30 (33.7%) | 14 (23.3%) |
| 22-23% | 21 (23.6%) | 20 (33.3%) |
| 23%+ | 2 (2.2%) | 22 (36.7%) |


## Power distribution

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


| Power band | Q-Cells | Sun Earth |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<400W | 20 (22.5%) | 2 (3.3%) |
| 400-499W | 41 (46.1%) | 24 (40.0%) |
| 500-599W | 11 (12.4%) | 30 (50.0%) |
| 600-699W | 17 (19.1%) | 4 (6.7%) |


## Cell technology

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

Dominant cell tech: **TOPCon** (82%)


| Technology | Q-Cells | Sun Earth |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PERC | 38 (42.7%) | 4 (6.7%) |
| N-type | 23 (25.8%) | 0 |
| Unknown | 20 (22.5%) | 6 (10.0%) |
| TOPCon | 8 (9.0%) | 49 (81.7%) |
| BIPV | 0 | 1 (1.7%) |


## 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 |


## Top panels, Sun Earth


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [DXM8-72HBG 610W](https://comparepv.com/panel/sun-earth-dxm8-72hbg-610w) | 610 | 23.6 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 2 | [DXM8-72H-610](https://comparepv.com/panel/sun-earth-dxm8-72h-610) | 610 | 23.6 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 3 | [DXM8-72HBG 600W](https://comparepv.com/panel/sun-earth-dxm8-72hbg-600w) | 600 | 23.2 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 4 | [DXM8-72H-600](https://comparepv.com/panel/sun-earth-dxm8-72h-600) | 600 | 23.2 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 5 | [DXM8-72HBG 590W](https://comparepv.com/panel/sun-earth-dxm8-72hbg-590w) | 590 | 22.8 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 6 | [DXM8-72H-590](https://comparepv.com/panel/sun-earth-dxm8-72h-590) | 590 | 22.8 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 7 | [SKT580M10-144D4](https://comparepv.com/panel/sun-earth-skt580m10-144d4) | 580 | 22.4 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 8 | [DXM8-72HBG 580W](https://comparepv.com/panel/sun-earth-dxm8-72hbg-580w) | 580 | 22.5 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 9 | [DXM8-72H-580](https://comparepv.com/panel/sun-earth-dxm8-72h-580) | 580 | 22.5 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 10 | [SKT575M10-144D4](https://comparepv.com/panel/sun-earth-skt575m10-144d4) | 575 | 22.3 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |


## Summary

Q-Cells - formally marketed as Hanwha Q CELLS - began as a German startup in 1999 and was acquired by South Korea's Hanwha Group in 2012, giving it the financial backing of one of Korea's largest conglomerates. The brand consistently appears on BloombergNEF's Tier 1 bankability list, placing it among the most institutionally trusted names in solar. Its manufacturing footprint is unusually diversified for a non-Chinese brand: it operates the largest solar production complex in the Western Hemisphere across facilities in Dalton and Cartersville, Georgia, with the Cartersville plant alone rated for 3.3 GW of annual module output, while global cell capacity exceeds 12 GW. Sun Earth, by contrast, is a smaller Chinese manufacturer with a catalog of roughly ten panel models; it does not appear on publicly cited Tier 1 lists and carries a more limited institutional track record, though independent aggregators such as ComparePV cover it as a mid-market option. On institutional footprint, Q-Cells holds a clear advantage.

Q-Cells' flagship lines center on its proprietary Q.ANTUM NEO cell architecture, an N-type technology delivering efficiencies up to 22.5% and a temperature coefficient as low as -0.29%/°C - making it particularly competitive in hot climates such as the US Sun Belt. The range spans premium residential rooftops through mid-size commercial installations, and the brand is routinely quoted by certified installers across the US, Europe, and Australia. Sun Earth skews toward bifacial ground-mount and commercial projects, with roughly 90% of its catalog reported as bifacial and the majority using TOPCon cell technology; top-model efficiency is cited near 22.4%, close to Q-Cells, and the brand advertises a 30-year performance warranty - longer than Q-Cells' standard 25-year product warranty.

For most buyers in 2025 - residential or light commercial, prioritizing bankable warranties and broad installer support - Q-Cells is the more pragmatic default. Sun Earth may suit price-sensitive ground-mount or larger commercial projects where bifacial yield and a longer stated performance warranty carry more weight, provided the buyer can confirm local service support and installation availability.

\---LINKS---

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

\- https://comparepv.com/reviews/sun-earth \| Sun Earth solar panels review - efficiency and warranty data - ComparePV \| review

\- 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 rated at 3.3 GW annual output \| article

\- https://www.pv-magazine.com/2021/09/13/hanwha-q-cells-unveils-plan-to-produce-perovskite-topcon-solar-modules/ \| Hanwha Q CELLS TOPCon and perovskite production roadmap - PV Magazine \| article

Written by claude-sonnet from the figures above.


## Other comparisons

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


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Source: https://comparepv.com/q-cells-vs-sun-earth

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