CSI Solar

Solar Photovoltaic Modules and Energy Storagecsisolar.com

Company typePublic
Founded2001
HeadquartersGuelph, Canada
Headcount5,001–10,000
GTM typeB2B
OfferingHardware or Manufacturing

What CSI Solar does

CSI Solar, the operating brand of Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ), is a vertically integrated solar photovoltaic and energy storage manufacturer founded in 2001 and headquartered in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, with 10,000+ employees globally. The company designs and produces solar modules across multiple technology platforms, including TOPCon, HJT, bifacial, and the proprietary HiDM shingled-cell architecture, alongside solar inverters and a full stack of battery energy storage systems spanning residential (EP Cube), commercial and industrial, and utility-scale (e-STORAGE / SolBank 3.0) applications. It has shipped 177 GW of modules and 20 GWh of storage to customers in more than 160 countries and maintains 2,286 valid patents plus Tier 1 rankings from BloombergNEF and S&P Global.

The company generates revenue through four primary streams: solar module sales, inverter sales, energy storage hardware sales, and solar project development/EPC and O&M services delivered through its Recurrent Energy subsidiary. Distribution is hybrid, combining direct enterprise field sales for utility-scale projects with an authorized distributor network (CED Greentech, Soligent, WESCO, Krannich Solar, Baywa R.E., Charge Solar, among others) for residential and C&I channels. Pricing is project-based and not publicly disclosed. Manufacturing is concentrated in Suzhou, China, with US production in Mesquite, Texas (modules) and Jeffersonville, Indiana (HJT cells), and project development and storage project work is anchored by enterprise customers such as Google, Vena Energy, and Epic Energy. In December 2025 the company restructured its US manufacturing footprint into the CS PowerTech joint venture to comply with Foreign Entity of Concern restrictions, and in May 2026 completed a CEO succession with Colin Parkin assuming the CEO role from founder Dr. Shawn Qu.

CSI Solar firmographics

Firmographics

Name: CSI Solar
Legal name: Canadian Solar Inc.
Website: https://csisolar.com
Company type: Public
Founded year: 2001
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 5,001–10,000 employees
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

CSI Solar industry classification

Industry

Product category: Solar Photovoltaic Modules and Energy Storage
NAICS: Solar Electric Power Generation (221114), Battery Manufacturing (335910), Electric Power Generation (22111)
SIC: Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)
akta.pro primary industry: Solar PV Module Manufacturing (Cells, Modules, Thin-Film) (EUAMABAD)
akta.pro secondary industries: Solar Plant Components Supply & Manufacturing (Modules, Cells, Wafers, Mirrors, Heliostats) (EUACAGAK), Solar Balance-of-System Components (Cables, Combiner Boxes, Switchgear, Transformers) (EUAMABAG), Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System) (EUAMABAB), PV Balance of System (BOS) & Electrical Infrastructure (Inverters, Transformers, Cabling, Substations) (EUACAGAC)

Keywords

Solar photovoltaic modules
Utility-scale battery storage
Residential energy storage
Solar project development
Commercial industrial solar

Where CSI Solar is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Guelph
HQ country: Canada
HQ region: North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

CSI Solar business model

Business model

GTM type: B2B
Offering type: Hardware or Manufacturing
Cost components: Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

Solar Module Sales: Manufacture and sale of solar photovoltaic modules including TOPCon, HJT, bifacial, and high-efficiency residential/commercial modules. Q1 2026 shipments of 2.5 GW exceeding guidance.
Energy Storage Systems: Sale of battery energy storage systems (BESS) including utility-scale SolBank solutions and residential EP Cube products. Q1 2026 shipments of 2.1 GWh exceeding guidance.
Solar Project Development: Development, construction, operation and management of utility-scale solar PV projects. Works with both build-to-sell and build-to-hold business models. Includes EPC services and O&M.
Inverter Sales: Sale of solar inverters for residential, commercial, and utility-scale applications.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Other	Multi-year contract	B2B enterprise and utility-scale project pricing through direct sales and authorized distributors

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

CSI Solar product offering

Product offering

Core offering

CSI Solar (a subsidiary of Canadian Solar Inc.) manufactures solar photovoltaic modules—including TOPCon, HJT, bifacial, and high-density (HiDM) variants—and supplies solar inverters and battery energy storage systems. Its portfolio spans residential, commercial & industrial, and utility-scale applications, complemented by utility-scale project development, EPC, and O&M services through its Recurrent Energy subsidiary. Integrated solar-plus-storage solutions are delivered globally via direct enterprise sales, regional subsidiaries, and authorized distributor networks.

Product overview

CSI Solar (Canadian Solar Inc.) operates as an integrated solar and energy storage solutions supplier offering a comprehensive portfolio of products across the solar value chain. The core product portfolio includes solar modules (HiKu, BiHiKu, Ku, HiDM, and All Black series), inverters, and energy storage systems spanning residential (EP Cube), commercial & industrial (C&I Energy Storage), and utility-scale applications (e-STORAGE). The company provides both hardware products and supporting services including project development through Recurrent Energy, technical support, training, and a North America Module Library Portal for documentation access. Recent strategic initiatives include U.S. manufacturing localization through CS PowerTech joint venture for solar cells and battery production. CSI Solar maintains global operations across more than 20 countries with 2,286 valid patents and has shipped 177 GW of modules and 20 GWh of battery storage systems globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

Recurrent Energy: Subsidiary focused on solar power project development, construction, and management
e-STORAGE
EP Cube

Products and services

Solar Modules (HiKu, BiHiKu, Ku, HiDM, All Black)
Solar Inverters String and central inverters for residential, commercial, and utility-scale PV systems, supporting remote grid ON/OFF control, power factor setting, and integrated lightning protection.
e-STORAGE (Utility-Scale Battery Energy Storage) Utility-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) and integrated solar-plus-storage solutions, anchored by the SolBank 3.0 container product and deployed in projects such as Tailem Bend 3 (204 MW/408 MWh) and Mannum (220 MWh).
EP Cube Residential Energy Storage Whole-home residential energy storage system with LFP chemistry, scalable from 9.9 kWh to 119.9 kWh, hybrid inverter, Smart Gateway for energy management, and a 25-year warranty. Sold through authorized distributors and installer partners.
C&I Energy Storage Systems Commercial and industrial energy storage products targeting businesses, warehouses, and industrial facilities seeking energy cost reduction, peak shaving, and backup power.
Recurrent Energy (Utility-Scale Project Development, EPC, and O&M Services) Utility-scale solar project development, engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC), and operations & maintenance (O&M) services delivered to power producers, utilities, and energy companies.

Quantifiable outcome

177 GW of cumulative solar module shipments globally
+5 more outcomes

Companies that use CSI Solar

Customer profile

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

CSI Solar technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

CSI Solar partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

Sunraycer RenewablesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 February 2026Partnership for Texas BESS projects totaling 503 MWh to support renewable energy integration and grid stability within ERCOT market.
Vena EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 December 2025Contract awarded to e-STORAGE (Canadian Solar subsidiary) for 204 MW / 408 MWh battery energy storage system at Tailem Bend 3 project in South Australia, with turnkey EPC and five-year maintenance services.
Epic EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 October 2025EPC provider for 220 MWh Mannum Battery Energy Storage Project in South Australia, located alongside a 46 MWp solar farm, supporting South Australia's renewable energy targets.
CS PowerTechcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Joint venture entity (75.1% Canadian Solar ownership) established to manage US solar PV and energy storage manufacturing and sales as part of North American reshoring strategy, with total consideration approximately $50 million.
CED GreentechcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor of Canadian Solar products across multiple US locations including California, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Florida, Massachusetts, and Maine. Provides solar modules, inverters, and storage solutions to installers.
SoligentcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor and Corporate Headquarters in Rohnert Park, CA. Distributes Canadian Solar products throughout the US solar market.
Krannich Solar USAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor with locations in Oceanside CA, San Marcos TX, and Longwood FL. Part of global Krannich Solar network.
Charge SolarcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Canadian Solar distributor in Canada with headquarters in Victoria BC and locations in Barrie, Calgary, Dartmouth, Edmonton, Montreal, and Vancouver.
Baywa R.E. Solar Systems Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor in Canada located in Edmonton, AB, providing solar distribution services.
WESCOmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor with location in Sacramento, CA, providing electrical and solar product distribution.
GooglecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) customer for Lupinus solar-plus-storage projects in Texas totaling approximately 479.5 MWac solar paired with 473 MWh battery storage.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

CSI Solar competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

JA Solar: Major Chinese vertically integrated solar PV manufacturer with comparable global shipment volumes and module offerings. Competes with CSI Solar across the full residential, commercial, and utility-scale customer spectrum.
JinkoSolar: One of the world's largest vertically integrated solar module manufacturers with global shipments comparable in scale to CSI Solar. Competes head-to-head in TOPCon, HJT, and bifacial module technology across the same utility, C&I, and residential customer segments.
LONGi Green Energy: World's largest solar wafer and module producer with leading positions in monocrystalline and TOPCon/HJT cell technologies. Direct competitor to CSI Solar in high-efficiency module categories and global utility-scale supply.
Hanwha Q Cells: South Korean-headquartered solar manufacturer with significant US and European manufacturing presence and Tier 1 bankability. Competes with CSI Solar across residential, C&I, and utility-scale module markets with similar technology positioning.
Sungrow: Leading global inverter and energy storage system manufacturer with overlapping product portfolio in BESS solutions like CSI Solar's SolBank. Particularly comparable in utility-scale storage system integration and project execution capabilities.
First Solar: US-headquartered thin-film solar module manufacturer focused on utility-scale projects with strong domestic manufacturing footprint. Direct competitor in the US utility-scale segment where CSI Solar is also expanding via Mesquite and Jeffersonville.
Trina Solar: Vertically integrated solar manufacturer producing modules, cells, and trackers with a global distribution footprint similar to CSI Solar. Both companies compete in TOPCon technology and have pursued US manufacturing expansion strategies in response to IRA and FEOC policies.

Emerging players

Risen Energy: Chinese solar module manufacturer with growing TOPCon/HJT technology portfolio and global distribution. Smaller than the top-tier peers but a comparable module supplier competing in similar utility-scale and commercial segments.
Enphase Energy: US-based residential solar microinverter and battery storage company (IQ8, IQ Battery). Partial overlap with CSI Solar's residential storage business (EP Cube) and inverter line, though focused on a different residential technology stack.
Tesla Energy: Tesla's energy business includes Powerwall residential storage and Megapack utility-scale BESS products that directly overlap with CSI Solar's EP Cube and SolBank/SolBank 3.0 offerings, particularly in residential backup and grid-scale storage markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

CSI Solar compliance and trust

Trust signal

Compliance13 records

CSI Solar financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

CSI Solar leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

CSI Solar subsidiaries and ownership

Company hierarchy

Subsidiaries9 records

CSI Solar funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

CSI Solar M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CSI Solar

What does CSI Solar do?

Is CSI Solar a public or private company?

CSI Solar is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.

When was CSI Solar founded?

CSI Solar was founded in 2001. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.

Where is CSI Solar based?

CSI Solar is headquartered in Guelph, Canada, in the North America region.

How does CSI Solar make money?

Four revenue lines are on record. Solar Module Sales are the primary driver. The others are energy Storage Systems, solar Project Development and inverter Sales.

Who are CSI Solar's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are JA Solar, JinkoSolar, LONGi Green Energy, Hanwha Q Cells, Sungrow, First Solar and Trina Solar. Emerging players are Risen Energy, Enphase Energy and Tesla Energy.

Does CSI Solar have an API?

No public API is recorded for CSI Solar.

What industry is CSI Solar in?

CSI Solar's product category is Solar Photovoltaic Modules and Energy Storage. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAMABAD, Solar PV Module Manufacturing (Cells, Modules, Thin-Film), with a secondary code of EUACAGAK, Solar Plant Components Supply & Manufacturing (Modules, Cells, Wafers, Mirrors, Heliostats). Its NAICS code is 221114 and its SIC code is 3600.