Founded in Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany, in 1999, Qcells specializes in the manufacturing of photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules. From 2012, Qcells has been wholly owned by Hanwha Group of South Korea. Qcells is now a subsidiary of Seoul, South Korea-based Hanwha Solutions.
Qcells is a specialist in designing and producing monocrystalline silicon solar cells and solar panels for residential, commercial, and industrial applications. Besides production, it also offers large-scale solar power plant EPC services. Its manufacturing facilities and engineering offices are in the United States, Malaysia, and South Korea, with its engineering offices remaining in Germany.
Qcells in 2019 inaugurated its plant in Dalton, Georgia, USA, and it has become the biggest solar manufacturing facility in the Western Hemisphere. The plant had boosted its capacity to over 5.1 gigawatts (GW) by October 2023, producing nearly 30,000 solar panels a day, and creating 510 new jobs.
The company is a strong advocate of solar technology. In December 2024, Qcells achieved a record 28.6% efficiency large-area perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell world record. It aims to reduce space requirements for solar panels and related expense.
Qcells has also been asked about its supply chain management. In July 2024, the company’s Dalton factory was found to be importing Chinese wafer-made cells from suppliers that had connections with Xinjiang, China-sourced polysilicon. But no sign was found that components containing banned polysilicon were discovered in Qcells panels.
As of January 2023, Qcells committed to investing over $2.5 billion to create a full silicon-based solar supply chain in the United States that will go into full production by the end of 2024.
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