Canadian photovoltaics company

Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ) is a global renewable energy company. Headquartered in Guelph, Ontario, the company manufactures solar PV modules, provides battery energy storage solutions and develops utility-scale solar power and battery energy storage projects.[1][2]

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History

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Dr. Shawn Qu founded Canadian Solar in in Guelph, Ontario.[3] In November , the company went public (Nasdaq: CSIQ) trading at $15 per share.[4]

In October , Canadian Solar listed the Canadian Solar Infrastructure Fund Inc. (CFSI) on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The fund's initial public offering (IPO) of 177,800 investment units was priced at JPY 100,000 (US $879) per unit. The proceeds supported the acquisition of 13 solar power facilities with a combined capacity of 72.7 MWp from Canadian Solar subsidiaries in Japan.[5]

In , the firm relocated Recurrent Energy, its subsidiary that develops, owns, and operates solar and energy storage projects globally, to Austin,Texas.[6]

In September , Canadian Solar launched a residential energy storage solution, the EP Cube. Up to six units can be connected to deliver up to 119.9 kWh of energy storage and 45.6 kW output for home use.[7]  

In June , Canadian Solar announced plans to construct its first U.S. manufacturing plant in Mesquite, Texas. The $250 million plant, which will employ up to 1,500 people, is designed to produce 20,000 solar panels a day, totaling 5 GW of annual production capacity.[6] In March , Canadian Solar agreed to supply Sol Systems with solar modules from the finished factory.[8]  The company's other manufacturing centers are in Asia and Canada.[6]

In June , CSI Solar, the solar manufacturing subsidiary of Canadian Solar, completed an IPO and began trading on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Shares in the IPO were listed at RMB 11.10 (US $1.55) each, with total closing revenue of approximately RMB 6 billion (US $840 million).[9]

In July , the firm's utility-scale battery energy storage subsidiary was rebranded from CSI Energy Storage to e-STORAGE. The subsidiary's two automated factories supply battery energy storage solutions to the US, Canada, the UK, and China.[10]

In November , Canadian Solar announced plans to construct a $712 million battery plant in Shelbyville, Kentucky. The largest economic development project in Shelby County history, the Shelbyville Battery Manufacturing plant will build utility-scale batteries that utilities and project developers will use for energy storage. Located about 30 miles from downtown Louisville, the one-million-square-foot project will initially have a capacity of 3 GWh, with a second phase expected to double production capacity. Limited production is scheduled to begin in , with full-scale production expected in early .[11][12]

Canadian Solar participates in the United Nations Global Compact and CDP Climate Change Disclosure as of . Released in , Canadian Solar's Corporate Sustainability Report cited ongoing reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and energy, water, and waste intensities.[13]

Controversies

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In , the Human Rights Foundation criticized Canadian Solar after The Globe and Mail reported that the company operated a solar farm in Xinjiang, China, near a Uyghur internment camp.[14] The Guelph Mercury Tribune later reported a second solar farm in Xinjiang with ties to a supplier of Canadian Solar.[15] The Globe also reported a agreement between Canadian Solar and polysilicon manufacturer GCL-Poly, a company whose Xinjiang subsidiary had ties to forced labor.[16] In , Canadian Solar denied any connection to forced labor in its operations or supply chain and was working with polysilicon suppliers to establish auditing processes.[17][18] Later that year, Canadian Solar sold both of its Xinjiang solar power plants to a consortium of Chinese banks and investment groups and no longer has any Xinjiang locations, The Mercury Tribune reported.[19] In August , the U.S. Department of Commerce ruled that Canadian Solar circumvented tariffs on Chinese-made goods.[20]

Acquisitions

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Canadian Solar completed the acquisition of solar developer Recurrent Energy from Sharp Corporation for approximately $265 million in .[21]

Manufacturing

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Canadian Solar operates production facilities in the United States, Canada, China, Indonesia, Vietnam and Brazil, where it manufactures ingots, wafers, solar cells, solar PV modules, solar power systems, and other solar products.[22]

Products

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PV Modules and Systems -- The firm's standard PV modules are powered 210mm and 182mm N-type TOPCon solar cells that absorb and convert light from both sides of the module.[23] As of , Canadian Solar delivered more than 133 GW of solar PV modules globally, making the firm one of the largest global suppliers of TOPCon solar cell technology.[23] [24]

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) -- As of August , Canadian Solar's batter energy storage subsidiary, e-STORAGE, has shipped more than 6.5 GWh of battery energy storage solutions globally.[25]

Utility-Scale Solar PV Projects -- Since entering the project development business in , Canadian Solar has developed, built, and connected over 10 GWp of solar power projects and 3.3 GWh of battery energy storage projects across the world.[1]

Projects

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Europe

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• 1 MW ' Munich, Germany (July ) [26]
• 70 MW ' Solarpark Meuro, Meuro, Germany (August )
• 78 MW ' Senftenberg Solarpark Senftenberg, Germany (September )
• 70 MW ' Rovigo Photovoltaic Power Plant, Rovigo, Italy (November )
• 15 MW ' Three systems of 5 MW each, Conwall, UK (September )
• 8 MW ' Villeneuve de Marsan, France (April )

North America

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• 27 MW ' Sunnybrook Health Services, Canada ()
• 5 MW ' Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Georgia, USA (May )
• 148 MW ' Ronald McDonald House, San Diego, California, USA (June )
• 5 MW ' Keystone Solar Farm, Pennsylvania, USA (October )
• 8.5 MW - Canadian Solar 1 (CS1), Canada (August )
• 10 MW ' Brockville 1, Canada (June )
• 9 MW ' Brockville 2, Canada (September )
• 10 MW ' Silvercreek Solar Park, Canada (January )
• 146.4 MW ' Honduras (October ) [27]
• 28.4 MW ' Los Angeles, California (November ) [28]
• 5.86 MW ' Massachusetts (July ) [29]
• 10 MW ' Ontario, Canada (January )
• 100 MW ' Ontario, Canada (July ) [30]
• 100 MW ' Texas Solar Project, Texas (November ) [31]
• 100 MW ' Kings County, California (August ) [32]
• 200 MW ' California (September ) [33]
• 258 MW ' Fresno County, California (September ) [34]
• 60 MW ' Los Angeles, California (September ) [35]
• 5.74 MW ' Fowler, California (November ) [36]

South America

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• 185 MW ' Brazil (September ) [37]
• 191.5 MW ' Brazil (October ) [38]
• 114 MW ' Brazil (November ) [39]

Asia-Pacific

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• 30 MW - Near Tumxuk, Xinjiang, China ()[17]
• 10 MW ' Ninxiahongsibao, China (August )
• 20 MW ' Wulate, Inner Mongolia, China (December )
• 30 MW ' Suzhou Golden Sun Projects, China (November )
• 25 MW ' Gajner, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India (November )
• 1.3 MW ' Hyogo, pref. Awaji city, Japan (January )
• 5 MW ' Normanton Solar Farm, Australia (December ) [40]
• 17.4 MW ' Longreach Solar Farm, Australia (September ) [41]
• 30 MW ' Oakey Solar Farm, Australia (September ) [41]
• 30 MW ' Telangana, India (October ) [42]
• 190MW - Suntop Solar Farm - Australia (October )
• 146MW - Gunnedah Solar Farm, Australia (October )

References

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• Solar advice hub
• Solar-energy
• The 7 largest solar panel manufacturers in the world

The 7 largest solar panel manufacturers in the world

Solar-energy Last updated on 2 January 4 min read

Discover which companies are producing the highest number of solar panels around the world.

Written byMelody Abeni

Why you can trust our content

We know that the solar industry is full of misinformation, but we only use reliable sources, including:

• Our experienced solar experts, installers and system designers
• Our own database of solar & battery system designs
• Authoritative bodies like MCS and the UK government

What's in this guide?What's in this guide?

At a glance

'' The majority of solar panel manufacturers are based in China

China produces 86% of the world's solar panels each year, according to Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems.

In comparison, Europe and North America each produce around 2%.

It therefore makes sense that six of the world's seven largest solar manufacturers are also based in China.

' The largest solar panel manufacturer is TW-Solar, followed by JA Solar

Tongwei Solar (TW-Solar) is the largest solar panel manufacturer in the world.

TW-Solar shipped a whopping 38.1GW of solar modules in , doubling Trina Solar's shipments and achieving an annual revenue of USD $20.57 billion (£16.2 billion).

The company employs over 50,000 staff around the globe and is the world's largest in-house polycrystalline silicon producer. It also plans to double its annual production capacity of 80GWp to 150GWp by .

' TW-Solar is the only solar panel company on the Fortune Global 500 list

In August , Tongwei Group made history as the first solar PV company on the Fortune Global 500 list.

It's still the only solar company on the global list, as of March .

' Canadian Solar is the only company outside of China to make the list

The sixth largest solar manufacturer in terms of shipments is Canadian Solar Inc. ' the only solar PV module manufacturer on this list with headquarters based outside of China.

With over 20,000 employees in at least 30 countries, Canadian Solar operates large manufacturing facilities in both Canada and China, as well as Indonesia, Vietnam and Brazil.

Solar power is currently the world's third largest renewable electricity technology after hydropower and wind (International Energy Agency, ), and it's ultimately powered by solar panel manufacturers. 

From Asia to North America and everywhere in between, these manufacturers aren't just driving technological innovation but also shaping the future of clean energy worldwide

This article will explore the achievements and contributions of the top seven industry giants in the solar photovoltaic (PV) world.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website 420W Solar Panel Factory.

What are the world's seven largest solar manufacturers?

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Spring Solar Industry Update Report sets out the details of the world's largest solar panel manufacturers.

We've outlined them below, in ascending order, based on the manufacturers' number of solar shipments in . 

These shipments are measured in gigawatt-peak (GWp), which is a unit that tells us the peak power output of a solar PV device under standard test conditions. One gigawatt (GW) is equal to 1 billion watts (W), or 1 million kilowatts (kW). 

7. Trina Solar

Name Country Year founded Solar manufactured in (GWp) Trina Solar Co. Ltd. China 14.5

Trina Solar Co. Ltd. is a Chinese solar PV module manufacturer that shipped the equivalent of 14.5GWp worth of solar modules in . That's enough electricity to power over 7 million washing machines for an hour (based on a typical 2.1kW appliance).

The company operates in over 160 countries and employs over 23,000 people. Besides manufacturing solar products like PV panels, storage batteries, and solar trackers, Trina Solar offers project management, construction, and maintenance services for large-scale solar installations.

The company also invests heavily in research and development (R&D), claiming its 25th world record for solar cell efficiency and module power in . This has helped it maintain a strong market presence, securing a revenue of $12.5 billion (approx. £9.85 billion) in .

6. Canadian Solar

Name Country Year founded Solar manufactured in (GWp) Canadian Solar Inc. Canada 16.8

The sixth largest solar manufacturer in terms of shipments is Canadian Solar Inc. - the only solar PV module manufacturer on this list with headquarters based outside of China.

With over 20,000 employees in at least 30 countries, Canadian Solar operates large manufacturing facilities in both Canada and China, as well as Indonesia, Vietnam and Brazil.

Canadian Solar caters to residential, commercial and utility needs with a product range including PV panels, storage batteries and solar inverters. 

In , the company exported around 16.8GWp of solar modules, resulting in an annual revenue of USD $7.47 billion (approx. £5.88 billion).

5. JinkoSolar

Name Country Year founded Solar manufactured in (GWp) JinkoSolar Holding Co. Ltd China 23.9

Jinko Solar Co. Ltd. is another big Chinese manufacturer, and the fifth largest on this list with 23.9GWp shipped in . The company HQ is in Shanghai and it has 14 factories elsewhere in China, as well as in Malaysia, Vietnam, and the United States.

JinkoSolar offers a range of PV modules and storage systems for both domestic and commercial use, and has cumulatively delivered 210GWp worth of solar products since . In , the company reported USD $12.11 billion (approx. £9.54 billion) in revenue.

4. LONGi

Name Country Year founded Solar manufactured in (GWp) LONGi Green Energy Technology Co. Ltd. China 29.2

LONGi Green Energy Technology Co. Ltd. ranks fourth on our list, with 29.2GWp of solar module shipments in and USD $19.27 billion (approx. £15.23 billion) in revenues the same year.

Operating with 60,000-plus employees in over 30 countries, LONGi Solar specialises in monocrystalline silicon technology and aims to produce 100GWp of solar wafers and 50GWp of solar cells each year.

The company has seven domestic manufacturing plants in China, as well as overseas facilities in Malaysia and Vietnam. As part of its sustainability commitments, the company uses clean energy and green manufacturing within all its operations through its "Solar for Solar" business model.

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3. AIKO

Name Country Year founded Solar manufactured in (GWp) Shanghai AIKO Energy Co. Ltd. China 30.7

The third largest solar panel manufacturer is Shanghai AIKO Energy Co. Ltd., which exported 30.7GWp of solar modules in .

AIKO's sleek black N-type ABC (All Back Contact) monocrystalline glass modules have been consistently ranked as the world's most efficient panels (at 24% efficiency) since their launch in March .

As well as selling panels, the company's product range also includes individual PV cells, solar inverters, battery storage, mounting systems and specialist digital programs.

With a turnover exceeding CNY ¥35.08 billion (approx. £3.84 billion) in and cumulative shipments exceeding 120 GW, AIKO employs over 15,000 people globally and holds over 1,061 patents.

2. JA Solar

Name Country Year founded Solar manufactured in (GWp) JA Solar Technology Co. Ltd. China 36.2

Narrowly missing out on the top position, Beijing-based JA Solar Technology Co. Ltd. is the second largest solar panel manufacturer in the world with 36.2GWp of solar modules shipped in .

Based on Ofgem's estimates of a typical household's annual electricity usage, 36.2GWp is enough electricity to power over 13.4 million UK homes - around half of the 26.4 million homes in England and Wales.

With over 32,500 employees and operations in at least eight countries, JA Solar reported an operating revenue of USD $10.7 billion (approx. £8.43 billion) in - with a market share of at least 68% in the UK and 23% in Europe.

JA Solar's product range includes high-efficiency PV modules like its DeepBlue 4.0/3.0 series, PV production materials and storage batteries.

1. Tongwei Solar (TW-Solar)

Name Country Year founded Solar manufactured in (GWp) Tongwei Solar Co. Ltd. China 38.1

The largest solar panel manufacturers: FAQs

Who is the largest solar panel manufacturer?

Tongwei Solar (TW-Solar) holds the title of the largest solar panel manufacturer globally and is the only solar panel company on the Fortune Global 500 list. 

With its headquarters in China, TW-Solar is renowned as the largest polycrystalline silicon producer and for its extensive production capacity at 80GWp per year.

Who manufactures solar panels in the UK?

There are a few solar panel companies in the UK, including England-based UKSOL, GB-Sol in South Wales, and Viridian Solar (who produce roof-integrated solar panels). 

However, it's worth noting that many of these manufacturers use overseas factories to be able to offer competitive prices to consumers. 

Who are the best manufacturers of solar panels?

The top global solar panel manufacturers, based on their scale, include companies such as TW-Solar, JA Solar, AIKO, and others - these manufacturers ship a large number of solar products around the world each year.

Ultimately, the "best" manufacturer for your solar project depends on whether their products suit your budget, efficiency needs and lifestyle.

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Written byMelody Abeni

Based in London, Melody is a specialist green technology writer who has been covering sustainability, climate action and ESG for the past five years, after gathering operational experience in green investing and financial services. She has written for various industry publications, including renewable technology advisor The Eco Experts, and she holds a Master's degree in law from Birkbeck University.

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