Jinko Vs QCell

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Jinko vs QCell: German Engineered Or Korean? You Decide...

You’ve probably heard of one of the most popular solar panel brands in Australia, which are Jinko solar panels. Now, if you’re doing your research right then you may have also heard of QCell solar panels. 

To give you a very brief run down, Jinko panels are made in China whereas QCell solar panels are made using German technology. 

Of course, this all factors into many different areas such as price, warranties, return on investment and overall performance of each solar panel. 

Now, I’m sure that you’re probably wanting a straight answer to know which one of these two solar panels are the best. Well, truthfully I wouldn’t be able to give you the honest answer without knowing your budget, roof size, energy usage and goals for going solar.

You see, every homeowner is different and therefore every home requires a unique, tailored solar system based around your requirements. This means that either QCell or Jinko might be best for you… 

What I’m going to be doing, is helping you realise which one is going to work the best for you, your budget and your home. This way, you can decide on the solar panel that you want to choose. 

Please don’t forget that I have a team of solar design engineers who specialise in both Jinko and QCell designing and installation. If you are interested in Jinko, please talk to us here

If you are interested in QCell, then please request a design through our QCell page here.

So, let’s get straight into this awesome comparison between Jinko vs QCell solar panels.

Jinko Solar Panels Are More Popular Then QCell

There is no doubt about it, Jinko solar panels are the more popular brand of the two. Jinko is also much bigger than QCell with a huge global presence and in 2019 they shipped a whopping 14.2MW of solar panels

Over the years that we’ve been in business I will admit that many people seem to choose Jinko over QCell and it seems to be the people’s favourite. There could be many factors pushing this popularity however I’d probably say it’s down to price

QCell uses advanced German technology meaning it requires a slightly higher investment than Jinko. I think for those homeowners who are looking for a quick ROI they want something affordable and good.

Jinko solar panels have also been in the Australian market for a little while longer and therefore has a bigger Australian presence. It’s even said that they were the number 1 rooftop module supplier in Australia in 2020.

QCell Solar Panels Offer A Higher Warranty Than Jinko

On the other hand, QCell provides a much better warranty than most of Jinko solar panels. So, the QBoost provides a 18 year product warranty and their G10+ comes with a 25 year product warranty. 

These are two of the strongest warranties in the industry and compare well with the likes of LG panels or SunPower panels

However, Jinko has started to make some changes bringing out their 370w N Type solar panel which comes with a strong 20 year warranty.

For the majority though, like the cheetah series you’ll be looking at a weaker warranty when compared to QCell. It’s also worth noting the bankability of both companies. 

Now, I’d say they are pretty even. Maybe QCell has the stronger bankability because they have been around for longer and produce higher quality products with more advanced technology. 

All in all, both of them have some really good warranties but I’d say that QCell comes out a little on top even though it’s extremely hard to compare.

Jinko Solar Panels Are More Affordable Then QCell

As mentioned above, Jinko solar panels are more affordable than QCells. The main reason behind this is because the technology is not as good as QCell. 

Also, being made in China the manufacturing process can be cheaper and therefore bring the cost of the panels down. Due to QCell manufacturing their panels in Germany the cost may be higher. 

With more affordable solar panels comes a faster return on investment. The less that you pay upfront for your system, the quicker the payback period would be. However, it’s worth noting that the payback period might be faster, but won’t be as long. 

To be honest, there isn’t too much of a price difference between the two solar panels. However Jinko does come out slightly cheaper, especially if you are looking for a good budget panel like the Cheetah series.

QCell Solar Panels Have A Higher Efficiency Rating Than Jinko

Impressively, QCell has not got a solar panel that has an efficiency rating of below 21%. This is really impressive and dominates over Jinko’s Cheetah and Swan series which come in at 19% and 20%. 

However, Jinko is fighting back with their Tiger series which come in at around 21.14% which is the highest efficiency panel that Jinko has produced and available for the Australia market. 

If we take a look at QCell G10+ solar panel the efficiency rating comes in at 21.4% which is really good. It even gives LG Neon2 and Sunpower P 3 a good run for their money (especially because QCell costs less as well).

This means that over a 25 year period you would get more energy and therefore bigger savings/higher return on investment from a QCell solar panel system when compared with Jinko. 

However, I would argue how much of a difference it makes because the % is so minor, you might only end up with a few extra hundred or thousand dollars. Given that Jinko pays back quicker, it might even balance itself out.

Both Jinko And QCell Solar Panels Provide A Fast Return On Investment

To be honest, both Jinko and QCell solar panels provide a really fast return on investment in two different ways. I’ll go through them both now. 

Jinko is more affordable, therefore the upfront investment for your system will be less, meaning you won’t need to pay back as much. Therefore, you can pay off this investment quicker and begin to reap the rewards of extra monthly cash flow or credits

On the other hand, QCell uses extremely advanced technology to optimise on the sunlight hitting the panel. By doing this, they are generating you more energy over a period of time meaning it’s going to lower your bills more and pay off your system quicker. 

I’d honestly say both of these solar panels can provide you with a really fast return on investment, however if you have plans to move in the future then maybe a more affordable system would be wise. 

If you use a lot of energy, have a big family or a swimming pool then it would be best to consider the solar panel that’s going to have the biggest impact on your energy bill so you can maximise the savings and self consumption from your system. 

both qcell and jinko solar panels will provide a fast return on investment

Comparison Between Jinko Vs QCell Solar Panels

So, I want to do 2 comparisons for you here. I’m going to take Jinkos and QCell’s most affordable solar panels and compare them together. Then I will take the most advanced solar panels and compare them together as well. 

Like I mentioned though, even if one looks better on paper doesn’t mean it would be best suited for your requirements. It’s best to speak to a solar design engineer who can understand you and advise on what’s best.

jinko cheetah specifications

Jinko Cheetah

375-395w in size
21.1% efficiency
Low light performance
Operating Temperature(℃) -40 ~+85
Monocrystalline Q.ANTUM solar half cells
No.of cells 132 (6×22)
18 year product warranty
25 year performance warranty

qcell qboost solar panels

QCell QBoost

375-395w in size
21.1% efficiency
Low light performance
Operating Temperature(℃) -40 ~+85
Monocrystalline Q.ANTUM solar half cells
No.of cells 132 (6×22)
18 year product warranty
25 year performance warranty

jinko tiger 440w specifications

Jinko Tiger 440w

440w size
20.84% efficiency
Low light performance
Operating Temperature(℃) -40 ~+85
P type Mono-crystalline
No.of cells 156 (6×26)
12 year product warranty
25 year performance warranty

QCell g10+ specification

QCell G10+

390-415w in size
21.4% efficiency
Low light performance
Operating Temperature(℃) -40 ~+85
Monocrystalline Q.ANTUM solar half cells
No.of cells 6 × 22
25 year product warranty
25 year performance warranty

Which One Is The Best?

It’s a really tough call to decide on which of these two panels is the best. I’d again have to say it comes down to what you want from your solar system.

If you’re looking for a long term, long lasting return on investment with a high quality European designed solar system, then QCell is for you. However, don’t forget you might need to fork out a little extra for your investment but it will be worth it in the long run.

On the other hand, if you’re planning on moving or just want to optimise on the solar boom and generate your own free energy then I’d suggest Jinko because it’s affordable and has a fast payback period. However, some people could argue the warranties are too short so it’s not good for the long term. 

Overall, I’d say both of these solar panels are a fantastic solution for your home and would be happy to recommend them to my friends or family and therefore, happy to recommend them to you. 

If you have either of these solar panels installed, please share with everyone what your thoughts are! We’d love to hear from you 😁. 

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Written By:

Luke Cove
Managing Director
Lightning Solar & Electrical

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