ASM vs Canadian Solar - solar panel manufacturer comparison
Canadian Solar has the broader catalog (292 vs 1 models). Canadian Solar leads on peak efficiency at 24.40%. Canadian Solar leans bifacial (46% of lineup).
Both catalogues are read from the manufacturers' own datasheets. A brand is not scored against the market here, only against the other brand on this page.
The two companies
Australian Solar Manufacturing (ASM) is a small Australian solar panel assembler that produces crystalline monocrystalline modules domestically using components sourced from Germany, Japan, the USA, and China. The company focuses on providing locally assembled PV modules tailored to Australian conditions, supporting...
- Founded
- 2009
- Headquarters
- Hallam, Victoria, Australia
- Employees
- 1-10
Canadian Solar Inc. is a global renewable energy company founded in 2001. Headquartered in Kitchener, Ontario, it manufactures solar PV modules and provides battery energy storage solutions. The company also develops utility-scale solar power and battery energy storage projects.
- Founded
- 2001
- Headquarters
- Kitchener, Canada
- Annual capacity
- 51 GW/year
- Employees
- 17,113
- Listed
- NASDAQ: CSIQ
- Tier 1 bankable
- Yes
Catalogue against catalogue
An average over a catalogue describes the range a manufacturer publishes, not the module you would buy. A brand with two flagship panels and eighty older ones averages worse than one that has retired its back catalogue.
What each of them builds
Canadian Solar skews to higher efficiency: 13% of lineup is 23%+
Canadian Solar offers more 600W+ panels (24% of lineup)
Dominant cell tech: <strong>PERC</strong> (67%)
The flagships
Written summary
ASM, or Australian Solar Manufacturing Pty Ltd, is a small domestically owned assembler founded around 2009 and based in Hallam, Victoria, Australia. The company does not manufacture photovoltaic cells but assembles modules from components sourced in Germany, Japan, the United States, and China. It has no confirmed BNEF Tier 1 bankability rating and operates at a modest regional scale with no publicly disclosed annual production figures in gigawatts. Canadian Solar, by contrast, was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Guelph, Ontario, though its manufacturing is centered in China and Southeast Asia. The company has been listed on NASDAQ since 2006, consistently appears on the BNEF Tier 1 module list, and in 2025 made the S&P Global Commodity Insights Premier List of Tier 1 Cleantech Companies. Canadian Solar shipped approximately 24.3 GW of modules in full-year 2025, making it one of the highest-volume module suppliers in the world. In institutional footprint and bankability, the two brands are not remotely comparable.
On the product side, ASM's catalog centers on standard monocrystalline modules in the 170 W to 200 W range, suited to small residential rooftops in the Australian market where locally assembled origin is a priority for buyers who prefer domestic supply chains. Canadian Solar offers a considerably broader lineup spanning residential, commercial, and utility-scale applications. Its mainstream HiKu series uses PERC cell technology, while the TOPHiKu6 series employs N-type TOPCon cells and reaches module efficiencies of up to roughly 22.5 percent. Both residential installers and large independent power producers use Canadian Solar panels globally.
For a typical buyer in 2025, Canadian Solar is the clear default choice in virtually every market outside niche Australian procurement. It offers proven Tier 1 bankability, a broad and up-to-date product portfolio anchored in TOPCon technology, a 30-year performance warranty on premium lines, and a global service network. ASM's appeal is narrowly specific: buyers in Australia who explicitly value locally assembled products and are equipping small residential systems. Beyond that use case, Canadian Solar's scale, certification standing, and technology depth make it the stronger option.
Generated by Claude Sonnet · 2026-06-06
Other brand comparisons
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Comparisons are computed from manufacturer datasheets held in the ComparePV database and may not reflect a brand's complete current lineup. Nothing on this page is paid placement.