Thornova vs AKCOME - solar panel manufacturer comparison
AKCOME has the broader catalog (3 vs 0 models). AKCOME leans bifacial (100% 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
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...
- Founded
- 2016
- Headquarters
- Wuxi, China
- Annual capacity
- 5-10 GW/year
- 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
AKCOME offers more 600W+ panels (100% of lineup)
Dominant cell tech: <strong>HJT</strong> (100%)
The flagships
Written summary
AKCOME is a Chinese solar manufacturer headquartered in Zhejiang province, with involvement in high-efficiency cell research dating back to at least 2012. The company operated a 6 GW module factory in Huzhou and invested heavily in heterojunction (HJT) and perovskite cell development, reaching reported mass-production HJT cell efficiencies above 25%. Despite that technical ambition, AKCOME's primary operating entity filed for bankruptcy in 2024 under industry-wide price pressure, and the company was subsequently removed from Bloomberg New Energy Finance's Tier 1 bankable module manufacturer list. Thornova Solar - operating under the rebranded identity of the former Sunova Solar - is a Chinese manufacturer with an annual production capacity of approximately 6.5 GW. It achieved Bloomberg BNEF Tier 1 status in August 2023 and, as of late 2025, holds a B-rating in the PVTech ModuleTech Bankability Report, signaling sound financial health and low credit risk. On institutional footing, Thornova is clearly the more stable of the two companies at present.
On the product side, AKCOME built its reputation around HJT and PERC modules before its financial difficulties; availability of current stock and after-sales support must be treated as uncertain given the ongoing bankruptcy proceedings. Thornova, by contrast, has concentrated its catalog on N-type TOPCon technology. In early 2024 it launched a 720 W TOPCon panel rated at 23.2% efficiency, aimed at utility-scale ground mounts and large commercial rooftops. Its modules also secured a Kiwa PVEL Top Performer award in the 2025 PV Module Reliability Scorecard, providing independent third-party validation of durability.
For any buyer making a new purchase decision in 2025 or 2026, Thornova is the only realistic choice of the two. AKCOME's bankruptcy makes warranty enforcement, spare parts supply, and long-term technical support genuinely uncertain - critical concerns for installations with 25-30 year design lives. Thornova's maintained bankability rating and active N-type product roadmap make it the lower-risk option for residential, commercial, and utility-scale applications alike.
Generated by Claude Sonnet · 2026-06-09
Other brand comparisons
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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.