QCells, a solar cell manufacturer established in 1999 in Germany, emerged from the passion of a group of dedicated scientists and engineers committed to renewable energy’s global impact. Their primary goal was to create top-tier solar cells to diminish the world’s reliance on fossil fuels and combat climate change.
In its early years, QCells concentrated on research and development efforts, striving to enhance solar cell efficiency and performance. The company rapidly earned a reputation for innovation and excellence.
By 2021, it introduced its first commercially successful solar cell, recognised for its remarkable efficiency and embraced by solar panel manufacturers worldwide. QCells continued its growth and operational expansion in the following years.
In 2004, it inaugurated its inaugural manufacturing facility in Germany, significantly amplifying its production capabilities and establishing its position as a prominent European solar cell manufacturer. In 2005, QCells took a significant step by going public, listing its shares on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
This move amplified the company’s visibility and drew new investors, facilitating continued expansion. Simultaneously, QCells established a subsidiary in the United States, broadening its presence in North America.
In 2007, QCells bolstered its production by opening a new facility in Malaysia, thereby enhancing production efficiency and cost-effectiveness, fostering its global competitiveness and reputation. In 2012, QCells encountered financial challenges due to a global economic downturn and intensified competition in the solar industry, necessitating a bankruptcy filing.
Subsequently, its assets were acquired by Hanwha Group, a South Korean conglomerate. The company was rebranded as Hanwha QCells, preserving operations in Germany and Malaysia.
Today, Hanwha QCells stands among the world’s foremost solar cell manufacturers, delivering top-quality solar cells utilised in a myriad of global applications. Despite encountering various challenges, it remains steadfast in its mission to diminish fossil fuel dependency and combat climate change.
It maintains an unwavering commitment to innovation, quality, and the development of cutting-edge technologies.
Hanwha QCells, headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, boasts its primary hub for technology and innovation nestled within the Solar Valley in Thalheim, Germany. Here, they meticulously craft their product portfolio labelled as ‘Engineered in Germany.’
This location houses a multitude of diligent scientists and engineers who continuously enhance existing technologies at their in-house research centre while pioneering innovative products. Manufacturing facilities for Hanwha QCells are strategically spread across China, Malaysia, and South Korea, while their expansive global sales network covers Europe, North America, Asia, Australia, South America, Africa, and the Middle East.
A significant development in 2023 saw the announcement of a new production facility in Georgia, USA, signifying a substantial investment aimed at catering to the US market. In total, QCells currently boasts an annual cell capacity of 10GW and a solar panel capacity of 12.4GW, emphasising their focus on quality over quantity.
Awards
- 2003 – Intersolar Award: Recognised for Photovoltaics Excellence
- 2004 – Solar Industry Award: Acknowledged for Module Manufacturing Innovation
- 2005 – Intersolar Award: Celebrated for Excellence in Photovoltaics
- 2006 – European Solar Prize: Honored for Significant Contributions to Solar Energy Development in Europe
- 2007 – Intersolar Award: Distinguished in the Field of Photovoltaics
- 2010 – German Sustainability Award: Commended for Commitment to Sustainability and Environmental Protection
- 2011 – Global Cleantech 100: Named among the Top 100 Companies Worldwide Advancing Clean Technology
- 2013 & 2015 – Intersolar Award: Acknowledged for Excellence in Photovoltaics
- 2016 – Solar Industry Award: Recognised for Module Manufacturing Innovation, specifically for Q.ANTUM Technology
- 2016 – 2022 – EuPD Research: Awarded the ‘Top Brand PV’ Seal in Europe for modules
- 2017 – The Solar & Power Award: Celebrated for Excellence in Innovation
- 2017 – Solar Power Portal: Acknowledged for Outstanding Product Innovation
- 2017 – PV Magazine Award: Honored for Achieving Top Innovation
- 2017 – Intersolar Award: Recognised for Q-Peak RSF L-G4.2
- 2018 – Intersolar Award: Acknowledged for the Innovative Q.Peak Duo-G5
- 2021 – 2022 – N-TV Award – Germany Life & Living Award: Named the Most Popular Provider of Solar Technology
Australian Office
Suite 1, Leve 1 – 15 Blue Street
North Sydney, NSW 2060
Tel : +61 (0)2 9016 3033
Email : HQC-Inquiry@qcells.com
Business hours
Mon-Fri – 6am to 7pm
Sat – 7am – 4pm
Sun – Closed
If you wish to complete their contact us form, this can be found here.
Single or Three Phase Solution
Introducing the QCELLS Q.Volt inverter and Q.Save Core 5 battery, creating the QHome Package, a powerful and innovative solution designed to revolutionise home energy management. QCELLS, a leading manufacturer in renewable energy products, has once again raised the bar with this state-of-the-art inverter and battery combination.
The QVolt inverter is a cutting-edge device that seamlessly converts the direct current (DC) electricity generated by solar panels into usable alternating current (AC) electricity for household consumption. With its advanced technology, the QVolt inverter ensures optimal efficiency, effectively capturing and delivering a greater amount of clean energy to power your home. Its compact design and user-friendly interface make it easy to install and operate, ensuring a hassle-free transition to solar energy.
Paired with the QVolt inverter, the QSave Core 5 battery offers efficient energy storage, enabling users to store excess electricity generated by their solar panels for use during non-sunlight hours. With a storage capacity of 5 kilowatt-hours, the QSave Core 5 battery ensures reliable power availability even during periods of low sunlight or power outages, providing peace of mind and reducing dependency on the grid. Its sleek and compact design allows for easy installation and integration into any home energy system, maximizing space utilization.
Together, the QCELLS QVolt inverter and QSave Core 5 battery create a comprehensive and sustainable energy management solution that promotes energy independence and reduces reliance on traditional power sources. With this dynamic duo, homeowners can significantly reduce their carbon footprint while enjoying reliable and cost-effective energy for their daily needs. The QCELLS QVolt inverter and QSave Core 5 battery represent a significant step forward in renewable energy technology, making clean and sustainable energy accessible to all.
How it works is that you would start with purchasing the Q.Volt H5S inverter to the left, which weighs in at 37.5 kg. Then you purchase a batter, these come in 6.8 kWh each and weigh 61.1 kg. This inverter is capable of having an additional 2 batteries added, giving you a maximum capacity of 20.5 kWh, with a depth of discharge of 95%. These inverters are for single phase, but can be installed on 3 phase properties, but the backup would only be for appliances on a single phase, so it does have some limitations.
The inverter comes with an OUTSTANDING 15 year product and performance warranty and weighs 18.5 kg. All batteries come with a 10 year product warranty and a 10 year performance warranty and weigh 57 kg each. The equipment has been designed for improved simplicity of installation.
The battery uses Samsung SDI batteries which are Lithium-ion NCA, meaning they use lithium nickel cobalt oxides. These oxides are used as active material on the positive pole (which when discharging is the cathode). These type of batteries are used extensively within the EV market, especially Tesla.
The inverter is 5 kW, and has a maximum discharge of 5 kW at any one time. On a side note, if you want your property load to be covered completely by the battery, you cannot exceed a draw of more than 3.3 to 4.5 kW with 1 battery, and 5 kW with 2+ batteries, so don’t be putting everything on all at once.
The Q.Cells Q.Home Management System is a cloud-based platform that allows homeowners to monitor and control their solar energy system from anywhere, at any time. The system provides real-time data on energy production, consumption, and battery storage, so homeowners can optimize their energy usage and maximize their savings. The system also includes intuitive software that allows homeowners to easily configure and customize their system’s settings, more information can be found here.
As mentioned previously, you can add up to 3 batteries in parallel, with a depth of discharge being 95%, this is what you can expect your usable capacity to be.
| Battery | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 6.8 | 13.7 | 20.5 |
| Usable Capacity | 6.51 | 13.03 | 19.55 |
Pros
PRO – 15 year product and performance warranty
PRO -Australian Office
PRO – Comes with Energy Backup, this means you can set the amount of energy you always store unused so should there be a blackout, your essential loads will stay on.
Cons
CON – German Engineered Products, but not made in Germany.
CON – According to Sinovoltaics analysis of financials, QCells sit in 43rd place in the world. (source – Sinovoltaics report 2022) sitting in the grey area, not in safe zone or distress zone.
Our Thoughts
A quality product, manufactured by a massive company with a strong and long trading history.
The Australian office allows for warranty issues to be catered for, even if your installation company disappears.
They will be a good choice by anyone, that will last the test of time and allow you to use your excess energy from the day to power your home through the night, and with 15 year warranty, that’s a lot of peace of mind, that you will definitely get a massive return on investment from this battery setup.
We would definitely without a shadow of a doubt, put them on our own house or business.