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

# Q-Cells vs Top Solar

Q-Cells has the broader catalog (89 vs 1 models). Q-Cells leads on peak efficiency at 23.20%. Q-Cells leans bifacial (39% of lineup).


## The two companies


| Attribute | Q-Cells | Top Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Country | South Korea | China |
| Headquarters | Seoul | Shenzhen |
| Founded | 1999 |  |
| Employees | 2000+ | 200+ |
| Annual capacity | 11.2 GW/year | \<1 GW/year |
| Tier 1 | yes |  |
| Listed | NASDAQ: HQCL |  |
| Website | [https://www.qcells.com](https://www.qcells.com) | [https://www.topsolar-energy.com](https://www.topsolar-energy.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...

Shenzhen Top Solar Energy Co., Ltd. is a Chinese solar panel manufacturer specializing in monocrystalline, flexible, folding, and portable solar panels, as well as off-grid and on-grid solar power systems. The company has its own R&D teams and production lines, serving customers across the US, Europe, Japan, the...


## Catalog & Power


| Measure | Q-Cells | Top Solar | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panel Models | 89 | 1 | +88 |
| Max Power | 675 W | 150 W | +525 W |
| Avg Power | 468 W | 150 W | +318 W |


## Efficiency


| Measure | Q-Cells | Top Solar | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max Efficiency | 23.20% | 18.60% | +4.60 pp |
| Avg Efficiency | 21.21% | 18.60% | +2.61 pp |


## Reliability & Warranty


| Measure | Q-Cells | Top Solar | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.325%/°C | -0.420%/°C | +0.095 |
| 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 | Top Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<20% | 7 (7.9%) | 1 (100.0%) |
| 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 | Top Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<400W | 20 (22.5%) | 1 (100.0%) |
| 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%)

Dominant cell tech: **Back Contact** (100%)


| Technology | Q-Cells | Top Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PERC | 38 (42.7%) | 0 |
| N-type | 23 (25.8%) | 0 |
| Unknown | 20 (22.5%) | 0 |
| TOPCon | 8 (9.0%) | 0 |
| Back Contact | 0 | 1 (100.0%) |


## 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 |


## Top panels, Top Solar


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [TS-EFS150M](https://comparepv.com/panel/top-solar-ts-efs150m) | 150 | 18.6 | -0.420 | Monocrystalline |


## Summary

Q-Cells is a solar panel brand with deep German engineering roots - the original company was founded in Thalheim, Germany in 1999 - and has been owned since 2012 by South Korea's Hanwha Group, a large industrial conglomerate. Today the brand operates under the name Hanwha Qcells, with R&D anchored in Germany and a growing U.S. manufacturing footprint centered on two plants in Georgia: a 5.1 GW facility in Dalton and a 3.3 GW facility in Cartersville, giving a combined U.S. module capacity of roughly 8.4 GW and making it the only company building a fully integrated silicon solar supply chain on American soil. Qcells has been recognized as an S&P Global 2025 Tier 1 cleantech company and has consistently appeared on BloombergNEF bankability lists, confirming strong institutional standing for project finance. Top Solar, by contrast, could not be confirmed as a distinct manufacturer through any credible industry database, Tier 1 list, or specialist review site consulted during this research; it does not appear on EnergySage, SolarReviews, pv-magazine, or pv-tech rankings, and no production capacity or bankability data was found. Q-Cells therefore has an overwhelmingly stronger documented institutional footprint.

On the product side, Q-Cells offers a well-documented residential and light-commercial portfolio. Its Q.PEAK DUO and Q.TRON series are the headline lines, with the newest Q.ANTUM NEO technology - a TOPCon-based n-type cell architecture confirmed by the company's own R&D publications - reaching module efficiencies above 22.5%. Panels are suited primarily to premium residential rooftops and mid-scale commercial installations, with a 25-year product and performance warranty as standard. Because no independent review or manufacturer page could be located for Top Solar, its cell technology, efficiency range, warranty terms, and target applications remain entirely unverifiable.

For a typical buyer in 2025, Q-Cells is the clear documented choice between these two names. Its bankability, U.S. domestic supply chain, confirmed n-type TOPCon technology, and strong third-party reviews give buyers confidence that warranty claims will be honored and that panel quality is independently verified. Top Solar cannot be recommended without evidence of Tier 1 status, credible third-party testing, or a verifiable manufacturing base; buyers who encounter it should request certification documents and installer references before committing.

\---LINKS---

\- https://www.solarreviews.com/blog/hanwha-q-cells-solar-panels-complete-review \| Expert review of Qcells solar panels - SolarReviews 2025 \| review

\- https://www.ecowatch.com/solar/reviews/qcells-solar-panels \| QCells Solar Panels Review 2025 - cost, efficiency and performance \| review

\- https://www.hanwha.com/newsroom/news/press-releases/hanwha-qcells-named-an-s-p-global-2025-tier-1-cleantech-company.do \| Hanwha Qcells named S&P Global 2025 Tier 1 cleantech company \| article

\- https://www.utilitydive.com/news/qcells-billions-domestic-solar-manufacturing-georgia/640125/ \| Qcells to invest $2.5B to build complete US solar supply chain - 8.4 GW \| article

\- https://www.energysage.com/solar/best-solar-panels-complete-ranking/ \| Best solar panels complete ranking 2025 - EnergySage \| review

Sources:

\- \[Expert Review Of Qcells Solar Panels For 2025 - SolarReviews\](https://www.solarreviews.com/blog/hanwha-q-cells-solar-panels-complete-review)

\- \[QCells Solar Panels Review 2025 - EcoWatch\](https://www.ecowatch.com/solar/reviews/qcells-solar-panels)

\- \[Hanwha Qcells named S&P Global 2025 Tier 1 Cleantech Company\](https://www.hanwha.com/newsroom/news/press-releases/hanwha-qcells-named-an-s-p-global-2025-tier-1-cleantech-company.do)

\- \[Qcells to invest $2.5B to build complete US solar supply chain - Utility Dive\](https://www.utilitydive.com/news/qcells-billions-domestic-solar-manufacturing-georgia/640125/)

\- \[Best Solar Panels Complete Ranking 2025 - EnergySage\](https://www.energysage.com/solar/best-solar-panels-complete-ranking/)

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 Top Solar](https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-top-solar)
- [Q-Cells vs AEET](https://comparepv.com/q-cells-vs-aeet)
- [AIKO vs Top Solar](https://comparepv.com/aiko-vs-top-solar)
- [Q-Cells vs AKCOME](https://comparepv.com/q-cells-vs-akcome)
- [ARTsolar vs Top Solar](https://comparepv.com/artsolar-vs-top-solar)


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Source: https://comparepv.com/q-cells-vs-top-solar

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