Sunova vs Vikram Solar - solar panel manufacturer comparison

Sunova Solar is a Chinese manufacturer founded in 2016, with module and cell production facilities in Yibin, Sichuan province. The company has consistently held Tier 1 status on BloombergNEF's module manufacturer list, retaining its position in the Q1 2024 ranking even as nearly half of listed peers were removed under tightened criteria. As of 2025, Sunova operates approximately 6.5 GW of annual module production capacity alongside a 9 GW n-TOPCon cell line, and now trades under a dual brand following a merger with its sister company Thornova Solar. Vikram Solar is an Indian manufacturer headquartered in Kolkata, West Bengal, with a second major facility in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It holds Tier 1 BNEF recognition confirmed in Q1 2024 and has a considerably longer institutional track record, with exports running to Europe, the United States, India, and Australia. Following a 1 GW capacity expansion completed in February 2025, Vikram Solar's nameplate module capacity stands at 4.5 GW, while company figures from January 2026 point to 9.5 GW. On the dimension of established European distribution and institutional depth, Vikram Solar holds the stronger position.

Sunova's product lineup is built around n-TOPCon cell technology. The Tangra M series, producing around 585 W, targets commercial and industrial rooftop applications, while the larger-format Thornova TS line reaches up to 720 W with efficiencies up to 23.2%, making it well suited to utility-scale ground-mount procurement. A colored-glass Zosma S variant addresses design-conscious residential segments. Vikram Solar completed a full portfolio transition to its HYPERSOL G12R platform in early 2026, offering modules up to 640 Wp and 23.69% efficiency across 96HC, 108HC, and 132HC formats covering residential, C&I, and utility applications. The Oragadam facility has been upgraded to manufacture both TOPCon and HJT modules, broadening the technology mix available to project developers.

For international buyers comparing the two, both carry Tier 1 BNEF bankability and compete with comparable cell technologies. Sunova - increasingly operating as Thornova - offers a slight advantage in peak wattage for utility-scale projects, but its ongoing rebranding introduces minor uncertainty around long-term service continuity. Vikram Solar's longer European market presence, active participation at Intersolar Europe, and more mature after-sales network make it the lower-risk default for C&I and commercial rooftop developers outside Asia. For large-scale utility procurement where module cost and wattage dominate the decision, the two brands are broadly interchangeable.

Generated by Claude Sonnet · 2026-06-10