Hanwha Qcells' U.S. Plant Modules Named "Top Performer" in All Solar Reliability Categories

PVEL Gives Top Rating in All Eight Categories
Cartersville Plant Modules Also Pass Assessment
Most 2027 Output Already Contracted for Sale

U.S.-made solar modules from Hanwha Solutions' Qcells division (Hanwha Qcells) received the highest rating in every category of a reliability assessment by a local testing agency.

A view of Hanwha Qcells' Cartersville plant in Georgia, U.S. Hanwha Qcells

Hanwha Qcells said on November 11 that its modules were named “Top Performer” in every evaluation category in the “2026 PV Module Reliability Scorecard,” released on November 10 local time by PVEL, a U.S. solar testing agency. PVEL evaluates module reliability and performance across eight categories by recreating harsh conditions, including high temperatures and humidity, rapid temperature changes, mechanical loads, and hail impact.

The modules assessed also included those from the company’s Cartersville plant in Georgia, which was completed in July. The company said that passing every category with U.S.-made modules demonstrates their competitiveness in a local market that favors domestically produced products.

Centered on its Cartersville plant, Hanwha Qcells has established an integrated production system called “Solar Hub,” which manufactures ingots, wafers, cells, and modules entirely in the United States. The Cartersville plant plans to operate all production lines at full capacity by the end of the year.

Demand for modules from the Cartersville plant remains steady because they can meet the requirements for the domestic content bonus credit under the U.S. Investment Tax Credit (ITC). According to Hanwha Qcells, most of the modules the plant will produce in 2027 have already been contracted for sale. The company is also pursuing new contracts for production in 2028 and beyond.

In May 2026, Hanwha Qcells also received the highest overall rating for reliability, performance, and quality in the “PV Module Index Report” by the U.S. Renewable Energy Test Center (RETC). In the United States, the results of assessments by these two organizations are used as key indicators by project developers, investors, and financial institutions when selecting products. The company expects the latest results to strengthen its competitiveness in securing orders and help expand its market share.

Hong Jeonggwon, head of manufacturing at Hanwha Qcells, said, “The fact that a third-party testing agency rated the reliability of Hanwha Qcells modules among the best in the industry shows that Solar Hub has manufacturing capabilities and quality competitiveness at the highest level.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.