Canadian Solar vs Ginlong Solis - solar panel manufacturer comparison
Canadian Solar has the broader catalog (292 vs 0 models). 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
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
Ginlong (Solis) Technologies is a global manufacturer of solar string inverters and energy storage solutions, founded in 2005 and headquartered in Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. The company is the world's third-largest PV inverter manufacturer, serving residential, commercial, and utility-scale customers across more than...
- Founded
- 2005
- Headquarters
- Ningbo, China
- Employees
- 4500+
- Listed
- SZSE: 300763
- 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
Canadian Solar is a solar module manufacturer founded in 2001 and headquartered in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, though nearly all of its production takes place in China and Southeast Asia. The company has been listed on NASDAQ since 2006 and has earned repeated Tier 1 recognition, including a spot on S&P Global Commodity Insights' Premier List of Tier 1 Cleantech Companies in 2025. Its manufacturing footprint is substantial - the company reported module nameplate capacity exceeding 50 GW as of mid-2025, placing it firmly among the five largest panel producers worldwide. Ginlong Solis, operating under its parent Ningbo Ginlong Technologies, was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Ningbo, Zhejiang, China, listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. It is not a panel manufacturer but rather a solar inverter specialist, ranked third globally in overall inverter shipments by Wood Mackenzie and recognized in Bloomberg NEF's inverter bankability surveys. Canadian Solar carries the stronger institutional footprint as a diversified manufacturer with global project development arms; Ginlong Solis is more narrowly focused but leads in its specific inverter segment.
Because the two brands occupy fundamentally different roles in the solar value chain - Canadian Solar produces the modules that capture sunlight, while Ginlong Solis produces the inverters that convert DC power to AC - a direct head-to-head product comparison is not meaningful. Canadian Solar's flagship HiKu and TOPHiKu lines use TOPCon cell technology and target residential rooftops through large commercial and utility-scale ground-mount projects. Ginlong Solis covers a similarly broad application range with its string inverter lineup, including new hybrid models spanning roughly 9.6 kW to 60 kW released in 2025 for residential and commercial storage-ready systems.
For a typical buyer assembling a solar system in 2025, these brands are complementary rather than interchangeable. Canadian Solar panels are a credible, cost-competitive module choice backed by strong bankability and a long warranty track record. Ginlong Solis inverters represent a value-oriented alternative to premium European brands, with solid reliability ratings and growing market acceptance. A system pairing Canadian Solar modules with a Solis string inverter is a common and well-regarded combination among installers seeking bankable components at competitive price points.
- Canadian Solar Panels 2025 Expert Review - SolarReviews
- Canadian Solar named to S&P Global Tier 1 Cleantech list 2025
- Ningbo Ginlong Technologies inverter reviews - SolarReviews
- Solis ranked 3rd largest inverter manufacturer, bankability recognized
- Solis launches 16 kW residential and 60 kW commercial hybrid inverters
Generated by Claude Sonnet · 2026-06-22
Other brand comparisons
Shop prices: See 38 Canadian Solar offers
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.