Canadian Solar to Significantly Increase Supply Chain Capacity

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CSI Solar, a Canadian Solar subsidiary, is increasing its manufacturing capacity in 2024 by adding significantly more ingots, wafers, cells and modules, in order to meet strong market demand and accelerate growth.

Canadian Solar has announced plans to significantly increase capacity at its majority-owned manufacturing business, CSI Solar.

CSI Solar aims to dramatically increase solar supply chain manufacturing capacity in 2024. By the end of the first quarter of next year, it intends to add capacity for 30 GW of ingots, 15 GW of wafers, 10 GW of cells, and 25 GW of modules.

CSI Solar’s manufacturing capacity expansion from 2023 levels to 2024 targets would see increases in ingot production from 20.4 GW to 50.4 GW, wafers from 35 GW to 50 GW, cells from 50 GW to 60 GW, and modules from 50 to 75 GW. The company’s 2022 capacity was at 20.4 GW of ingots, 20 GW of wafers, 19.8 GW of cells, and 32.2 GW of modules.

“All our new capacity additions for 2023 and 2024 will be in the latest N-type technology, enabling us to better meet strong market demand and accelerate growth,” said Shawn Qu, chairman and CEO of Canadian Solar. “In addition, by increasing the level of vertical integration, we continue to improve our control over technology, raw material sources and costs. These business plans will help us further strengthen our long-term leadership position not just across our end markets but also throughout our supply chain positioning.”

CSI Solar President Yan Zhuang said in March that the subsidiary had “achieved significant growth and profitability improvements throughout 2022.” Zhuang noted that the vertical integration of manufacturing capabilities has allowed the company to increase control over costs.

CSI Solar achieved more than $1 billion in contracted battery storage revenues as of Jan. 31, 2023, he added. Looking ahead, Zhuang expects significant growth driven by the company’s solar and battery storage offerings.

Canadian Solar, which just rebranded its global energy subsidiary as Recurrent Energy, is awaiting completion of the China Securities Regulatory Commission registration for CSI Solar’s initial public offering. The company is now preparing CSI Solar’s IPO, which Qu confirmed had been recently approved by the China Securities Regulatory Commission.

Source: PV Magazine