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

# Q-Cells vs Thornova

Q-Cells has the broader catalog (89 vs 0 models). Q-Cells leans bifacial (39% of lineup).


## The two companies


| Attribute | Q-Cells | Thornova |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Country | South Korea | China |
| Headquarters | Seoul | Wuxi |
| Founded | 1999 | 2016 |
| Employees | 2000+ |  |
| Annual capacity | 11.2 GW/year | 5-10 GW/year |
| Tier 1 | yes | yes |
| Listed | NASDAQ: HQCL |  |
| Website | [https://www.qcells.com](https://www.qcells.com) | [https://www.thornova-solar.com](https://www.thornova-solar.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...

Thornova Solar (formerly Sunova Solar) is a Chinese photovoltaic manufacturer headquartered in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, specializing in high-efficiency TOPCon and PERC bifacial solar modules. The company operates manufacturing facilities in China and Indonesia with a combined module capacity of 6.5 GW and cell capacity...


## Catalog & Power


| Measure | Q-Cells | Thornova | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panel Models | 89 | 0 | +89 |
| Max Power | 675 W | 0 W | +675 W |
| Avg Power | 468 W | 0 W | +468 W |


## Efficiency


| Measure | Q-Cells | Thornova | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max Efficiency | 23.20% | - |  |
| Avg Efficiency | 21.21% | - |  |


## Reliability & Warranty


| Measure | Q-Cells | Thornova | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.325%/°C | - |  |
| Bifacial Share | 35 (39%) | 0 (0%) | +39 pp |
| Avg Warranty | 27.0 yrs | - |  |


## Efficiency distribution

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


| Efficiency band | Q-Cells | Thornova |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<20% | 7 (7.9%) | 0 |
| 20-21% | 29 (32.6%) | 0 |
| 21-22% | 30 (33.7%) | 0 |
| 22-23% | 21 (23.6%) | 0 |
| 23%+ | 2 (2.2%) | 0 |


## Power distribution

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


| Power band | Q-Cells | Thornova |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<400W | 20 (22.5%) | 0 |
| 400-499W | 41 (46.1%) | 0 |
| 500-599W | 11 (12.4%) | 0 |
| 600-699W | 17 (19.1%) | 0 |


## Cell technology

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


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


## 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

Q-Cells is the solar brand of Hanwha Solutions, a division of South Korean conglomerate Hanwha Group. The Q-Cells brand itself traces back to a German cell manufacturer founded in 1999 in Bitterfeld-Wolfen, acquired by Hanwha in 2012, and has since grown into one of the world's largest module suppliers. The company holds Bloomberg NEF Tier 1 status and operates what it calls the largest solar manufacturing facility in the Western Hemisphere in Dalton, Georgia, with a second plant in Cartersville bringing U.S.-based module capacity to a planned 8.4 GW annually. Global module capacity is reported at roughly 11 GW. Thornova Solar is a newer entrant - founded in 2022 and headquartered in Fremont, California - operating as an independent subsidiary of China-based Sunova Solar Technology. Despite its short history, Thornova achieved Bloomberg NEF Tier 1 bankability status in August 2023, and its parent entity reports annual production capacity of approximately 6.5 GW. Q-Cells carries the stronger institutional footprint by a significant margin, backed by a decades-long track record, U.S. domestic manufacturing, and deep integration into large-scale project finance.

Q-Cells centers its residential and commercial portfolio around its Q.ANTUM NEO platform, a TOPCon-based cell technology that pushes panel efficiencies above 22% and delivers notably low temperature coefficients, an advantage in hot-climate installations. Thornova competes with N-type TOPCon modules spanning roughly 400 W to 720 W, including bifacial formats suited to commercial rooftops and utility ground-mounts. Thornova's Tangra M PRO series earned a Kiwa PVEL 2025 Top Performer designation across all seven reliability test categories, a meaningful third-party validation for a young brand.

For most buyers in 2025 Q-Cells is the lower-risk default: its warranty track record, U.S. manufacturing footprint, and established bankability make financing and insurance straightforward. Thornova is a credible option for cost-sensitive commercial or utility projects where PVEL test results and BNEF Tier 1 status satisfy lender requirements and price matters more than brand longevity.

\---LINKS---

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

\- https://www.pv-magazine.com/press-releases/thornova-solar-ranked-as-bnef-tier-1-module-manufacturer/ \| Thornova Solar ranked as BNEF Tier 1 module manufacturer \| article

\- https://a1solarstore.com/blog/thornova-solar-panels-review-sharp-solutions.html \| Thornova Solar panels review 2026 - A1 SolarStore Magazine \| review

\- https://taiyangnews.info/business/hanwha-solutions-planning-8-4-gw-us-production-capacity \| Hanwha Solutions Planning 8.4 GW US Production Capacity \| article

\- https://www.thornova-solar.com/news/corporate-news/297.html \| Thornova Solar module receives Kiwa PVEL 2025 Top Performer award \| article

Written by claude-sonnet from the figures above.


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Source: https://comparepv.com/q-cells-vs-thornova

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