Canadian Solar Unveils Breakthrough Low-Carbon Modules, Setting New Benchmark in Sustainable Manufacturing

Rhea-AI Summary

Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ) has unveiled its groundbreaking next-generation Low Carbon (LC) modules, achieving an industry-leading carbon footprint of 285 kg CO₂eq/kW. The new modules combine advanced heterojunction (HJT) cell technology with innovative wafer designs, delivering up to 660 Wp output and 24.4% efficiency.

The technology improvements include a 20% higher ingot utilization rate, reduced wafer thickness to 110 μm, and streamlined HJT cell manufacturing. These innovations result in 8.8%-10.7% lower total energy consumption compared to conventional modules, with production energy usage of 105.62 MWh/MW. The modules will begin shipping in August 2025 and are fully compatible with Canadian Solar's inverter portfolio.

Positive

• Industry-leading low carbon footprint of 285 kg CO₂eq/kW, setting new sustainability standards
• High efficiency of 24.4% with 660 Wp output power for utility and C&I applications
• 11% shorter carbon payback time compared to conventional N-type silicon modules
• 20% increase in ingot utilization rate, reducing emissions by 9.7%
• 8.8%-10.7% reduction in total energy consumption during production

Negative

• Requires specialized HJT cell manufacturing infrastructure
• Limited initial production capacity during early rollout phase

Insights

Clean Energy Technology Analyst

Canadian Solar launches breakthrough low-carbon modules with industry-leading 285 kg CO₂eq/kW footprint and 24.4% efficiency, maintaining performance while reducing environmental impact.

Canadian Solar's new Low Carbon (LC) modules represent a significant technological advancement in sustainable solar manufacturing. The modules achieve an impressively low carbon footprint of 285 kg CO₂eq/kW, positioning them among the lowest in silicon-based solar technology globally. This achievement comes without sacrificing performance – the modules deliver up to 660 Wp output with module efficiency reaching 24.4%.

The engineering innovations behind these modules are particularly noteworthy. Canadian Solar has implemented four key technological improvements: 1) Increasing ingot utilization by ~20%, reducing emissions by 9.7%; 2) Developing thinner 110 μm wafers, cutting silicon consumption and associated emissions by 4.5-5.5%; 3) Streamlining HJT cell manufacturing to just four steps (versus 10-13 for competing technologies) while drastically lowering operating temperatures to below 230°C (compared to 960-1050°C); and 4) Reducing total energy consumption in production to approximately 105.62 MWh/MW, representing energy savings of 8.8-10.7% compared to TOPCon and BC solar module production.

These improvements collectively shorten the carbon payback time by approximately 11% compared to conventional N-type silicon modules. The technology appears particularly well-positioned as global solar buyers increasingly factor carbon footprint into purchasing decisions, potentially giving Canadian Solar a competitive advantage in markets with stringent environmental requirements. The full compatibility with the company's inverter portfolio further enhances the value proposition by ensuring system-wide optimization.

KITCHENER, ON, Sept. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Canadian Solar Inc. (the "Company" or "Canadian Solar") (NASDAQ: CSIQ) today announced the launch of its next-generation Low Carbon (LC) modules, which combine the latest wafer innovations with advanced heterojunction (HJT) cell technology. The Low Carbon modules achieve an industry-leading carbon footprint of just 285 kg CO₂eq/kW, one of the lowest among all silicon-based solar modules worldwide, setting a new benchmark in sustainable solar manufacturing.

Designed for utility-scale and commercial & industrial (C&I) applications, the new LC modules deliver up to 660 Wp output with module efficiency of up to 24.4%, with deliveries commencing in August 2025.

Canadian Solar developed the Low Carbon modules through proprietary innovations in ingot, wafer and HJT cell technologies. Each technology innovation has contributed to the reduction of energy consumption and carbon emissions:

1. Higher ingot utilization rate – Increasing ingot utilization rate by around 20%, thus lowering emissions by approximately 9.7% (or 30 kg CO₂ per kWp).
2. Thinner wafers – Reducing wafer thickness to 110 μm (compared to 130–135 μm in TOPCon/BC) for each solar cell, thus reducing silicon consumption and carbon emissions by 4.5%–5.5% (or 14–19 kg CO₂ per kWp).
3. Optimized HJT cell manufacturing – Streamlining production to just four steps (compared to 10–13 steps for TOPCon/BC solar cells) and lowering operating temperature to <230 °C (compared to 960°C–1050°C typically needed). This reduces energy consumption by 4.2%–5.7% (or 14–21 kg CO₂ per kWp).
4. Lower total energy consumption – Throughout the entire LC module production, the total energy consumption is around 105.62 MWh/MW, representing an energy saving of 8.8%–10.7%, compared to TOPCon and BC solar module production.

Altogether, these improvements shorten the carbon payback time of Canadian Solar's LC modules by approximately 11%, compared to conventional N-type silicon-based modules available today.

Canadian Solar's Low Carbon modules enable customers to achieve two goals at once - deploying one of the industry's most efficient, high-power modules while significantly reducing the carbon footprint of the solar power systems.

The LC modules are also fully compatible with Canadian Solar's inverter portfolio. For example, the 350-kW utility inverter portfolio features a 40 A MPPT DC input current, maximizing bifacial gain and maintaining excellent performance even in high-temperature environments up to 45 °C.

"We are proud to introduce our new environmentally friendly, low-carbon modules, marking a key milestone in sustainable solar manufacturing," said Thomas Koerner, Corporate Senior Vice President of Canadian Solar. "By combining advanced wafer innovations with heterojunction (HJT) cell technology, we are significantly reducing the carbon footprint of solar energy while maintaining the proven reliability and high efficiency Canadian Solar is known for."

Canadian Solar's low-carbon modules will be showcased at RE+ 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada, from September 9 to 11, 2025. Visit Canadian Solar's booth V10031 to learn more.

About Canadian Solar Inc.

Canadian Solar is one of the world's largest solar technology and renewable energy companies. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Kitchener, Ontario, the Company is a leading manufacturer of solar photovoltaic modules; provider of solar energy and battery energy storage solutions; and developer, owner, and operator of utility-scale solar power and battery energy storage projects. Over the past 24 years, Canadian Solar has successfully delivered nearly 165 GW of premium-quality, solar photovoltaic modules to customers across the world. Through its subsidiary e-STORAGE, Canadian Solar has shipped over 13 GWh of battery energy storage solutions to global markets as of June 30, 2025, boasting a $3 billion contracted backlog as of June 30, 2025. Since entering the project development business in 2010, Canadian Solar has developed, built, and connected approximately 12 GWp of solar power projects and 6 GWh of battery energy storage projects globally. Its geographically diversified project development pipeline includes 27 GWp of solar and 80 GWh of battery energy storage capacity in various stages of development. Canadian Solar is one of the most bankable companies in the solar and renewable energy industry, having been publicly listed on the NASDAQ since 2006. For additional information about the Company, follow Canadian Solar on LinkedIn or visit www.canadiansolar.com

Safe Harbor/Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These statements are made under the "Safe Harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by such terms as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "estimates," the negative of these terms, or other comparable terminology. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include general business, regulatory and economic conditions and the state of the solar power and battery energy storage market and industry; geopolitical tensions and conflicts, including impasses, sanctions and export controls; volatility, uncertainty, delays and disruptions related to global pandemics; supply chain disruptions; governmental support for the deployment of solar power and battery energy storage; future available supplies of silicon, solar wafers and lithium cells; demand for end-use products by consumers and inventory levels of such products in the supply chain; changes in demand from significant customers; changes in demand from major markets such as China, the U.S., Europe, Brazil and Japan; changes in effective tax rates; changes in customer order patterns; changes in product mix; changes in corporate responsibility, especially environmental, social and governance ("ESG") requirements; capacity utilization; level of competition; pricing pressure and declines in or failure to timely adjust average selling prices; delays in new product introduction; delays in utility-scale project approval process; delays in utility-scale project construction; delays in the completion of project sales; the pipeline of projects and timelines related to them; the ability of the parties to optimize value of that pipeline; continued success in technological innovations and delivery of products with the features that customers demand; shortage in supply of materials or capacity requirements; availability of financing; exchange and inflation rate fluctuations; litigation and other risks as described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 20-F filed on April 30, 2025. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee future results, level of activity, performance, or achievements. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All information provided in this press release is as of today's date, unless otherwise stated, and Canadian Solar undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

CANADIAN SOLAR INC. INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT

Wina Huang
Investor Relations
Canadian Solar Inc.
investor@canadiansolar.com 

CANADIAN SOLAR INC. MEDIA CONTACT

marketing@csisolar.com 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/canadian-solar-unveils-breakthrough-low-carbon-modules-setting-new-benchmark-in-sustainable-manufacturing-302548738.html

SOURCE Canadian Solar Inc.

FAQ

What is the carbon footprint of Canadian Solar's new LC modules?

Canadian Solar's new LC modules achieve a carbon footprint of 285 kg CO₂eq/kW, one of the lowest among silicon-based solar modules worldwide.

What is the efficiency of CSIQ's new Low Carbon solar modules?

The new LC modules deliver up to 24.4% efficiency with a maximum power output of 660 Wp.

How much energy does Canadian Solar save in LC module production?

The total energy consumption is 105.62 MWh/MW, representing an 8.8%-10.7% energy saving compared to TOPCon and BC solar module production.

When will Canadian Solar begin delivering the new LC modules?

Deliveries of the new Low Carbon modules will commence in August 2025.

What technological improvements are included in CSIQ's new LC modules?

The modules feature 20% higher ingot utilization, 110 μm thin wafers, and optimized HJT cell manufacturing with only four production steps at lower operating temperatures.