Q-Cells vs TN Solar - solar panel manufacturer comparison
Q-Cells has the broader catalog (89 vs 10 models). Q-Cells leads on peak efficiency at 23.20%. TN Solar leans bifacial (50% 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
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
TN Solar skews to higher efficiency: 10% of lineup is 23%+
TN Solar offers more 600W+ panels (50% of lineup)
Dominant cell tech: <strong>PERC</strong> (43%)
Dominant cell tech: <strong>HJT</strong> (50%)
The flagships
Written summary
Q-Cells, operating as Hanwha Q CELLS under the South Korean Hanwha Group conglomerate, is one of the most recognizable names in solar manufacturing. Originally founded in Germany in 1999, the company was acquired by Hanwha in 2012 and has since grown into a global heavyweight with confirmed BloombergNEF Tier 1 bankability status. Its US manufacturing presence - anchored by facilities in Dalton and Cartersville, Georgia - gives it an annual module production capacity of around 8.4 GW domestically, with total shipments expected to exceed 9 GW in 2025. TN Solar, by contrast, is a small-scale Chinese manufacturer listed in the ENF Solar directory whose production footprint is limited to five lines with an output equivalent to roughly one 40-foot container per day. TN Solar self-describes as a Tier 1 producer, but no independent third-party confirmation from BloombergNEF or PVEL has surfaced in available sources. In terms of institutional footprint, Q-Cells is substantially larger and more bankable.
Q-Cells serves the full spectrum from premium residential rooftops to utility-scale ground mounts through two main technology branches: Q.ANTUM (a PERC-based line) and Q.ANTUM NEO (its N-type TOPCon platform), with efficiency figures confirmed up to approximately 22.5% and product warranties reaching 25 years. TN Solar's catalog spans PERC, TOPCon, and HJT cells and covers a wide wattage range from small specialty panels up to around 755 W modules, positioning it primarily as a low-cost supplier to price-sensitive buyers and smaller integrators rather than to mainstream residential or utility customers.
For a typical buyer in 2025 - whether a homeowner, a commercial developer, or a project financier - Q-Cells is the clearly lower-risk choice. Its bankability, US domestic supply chain, and well-documented warranty support give it durability that a small, largely unknown manufacturer like TN Solar cannot credibly match at this stage.
Generated by Claude Sonnet · 2026-06-21
Other brand comparisons
Shop prices: See 23 Q-Cells 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.