---
title: "Canadian Solar vs KIOTO Solar - Brand Comparison | ComparePV"
description: "Compare Canadian Solar vs KIOTO Solar solar panels: full portfolio, efficiency, cell technology breakdown, warranty terms and company background."
source: "https://comparepv.com/canadian-solar-vs-kioto-solar"
---

# Canadian Solar vs KIOTO Solar

Canadian Solar has the broader catalog (292 vs 7 models). Canadian Solar leads on peak efficiency at 24.40%. KIOTO Solar leans bifacial (57% of lineup).


## The two companies


| Attribute | Canadian Solar | KIOTO Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Country | Canada | Austria |
| Headquarters | Kitchener | St. Veit an der Glan |
| Founded | 2001 | 1991 |
| Employees | 17,113 | 201-500 |
| Annual capacity | 51 GW/year | \<1 GW/year |
| Tier 1 | yes | no |
| Listed | NASDAQ: CSIQ |  |
| Website | [https://www.canadiansolar.com](https://www.canadiansolar.com) | [https://www.kiotosolar.com](https://www.kiotosolar.com) |

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.

KIOTO Solar (KIOTO Photovoltaics GmbH) is an Austrian manufacturer of photovoltaic modules, producing panels exclusively at its facility in St. Veit an der Glan, Carinthia. The company traces its roots to 1991 as part of the Sonnenkraft group, with PV module production beginning in 2005. It is the market leader for PV...


## Catalog & Power


| Measure | Canadian Solar | KIOTO Solar | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panel Models | 292 | 7 | +285 |
| Max Power | 730 W | 450 W | +280 W |
| Avg Power | 472 W | 446 W | +26 W |


## Efficiency


| Measure | Canadian Solar | KIOTO Solar | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max Efficiency | 24.40% | 22.83% | +1.57 pp |
| Avg Efficiency | 20.66% | 22.53% | +1.88 pp |


## Reliability & Warranty


| Measure | Canadian Solar | KIOTO Solar | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.331%/°C | -0.309%/°C | +0.023 |
| Bifacial Share | 133 (46%) | 4 (57%) | +12 pp |
| Avg Warranty | 28.2 yrs | 27.1 yrs | +1.1 yr |


## Efficiency distribution

Canadian Solar skews to higher efficiency: 13% of lineup is 23%+


| Efficiency band | Canadian Solar | KIOTO Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<20% | 128 (43.8%) | 0 |
| 20-21% | 36 (12.3%) | 0 |
| 21-22% | 41 (14.0%) | 0 |
| 22-23% | 50 (17.1%) | 7 (100.0%) |
| 23%+ | 37 (12.7%) | 0 |


## Power distribution

Canadian Solar offers more 600W+ panels (24% of lineup)


| Power band | Canadian Solar | KIOTO Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<400W | 104 (35.6%) | 0 |
| 400-499W | 72 (24.7%) | 7 (100.0%) |
| 500-599W | 45 (15.4%) | 0 |
| 600-699W | 64 (21.9%) | 0 |
| 700W+ | 7 (2.4%) | 0 |


## Cell technology

Dominant cell tech: **PERC** (67%)

Dominant cell tech: **TOPCon** (100%)


| Technology | Canadian Solar | KIOTO Solar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PERC | 195 (66.8%) | 0 |
| TOPCon | 85 (29.1%) | 7 (100.0%) |
| HJT | 12 (4.1%) | 0 |


## Top panels, Canadian Solar


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [CS7N-730TB-AG](https://comparepv.com/panel/csi-solar-co-ltd-canadian-solar-cs7n-730tb-ag) | 730 | 23.5 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 2 | [CS7N-725TB-AG](https://comparepv.com/panel/csi-solar-co-ltd-canadian-solar-cs7n-725tb-ag) | 725 | 23.3 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 3 | [CS7N-720TB-AG](https://comparepv.com/panel/csi-solar-co-ltd-canadian-solar-cs7n-720tb-ag) | 720 | 23.2 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 4 | [CS7N-715TB-AG](https://comparepv.com/panel/csi-solar-co-ltd-canadian-solar-cs7n-715tb-ag) | 715 | 23.0 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 5 | [CS7N-710TB-AG](https://comparepv.com/panel/csi-solar-co-ltd-canadian-solar-cs7n-710tb-ag) | 710 | 22.9 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 6 | [CS7N-705TB-AG](https://comparepv.com/panel/csi-solar-co-ltd-canadian-solar-cs7n-705tb-ag) | 705 | 22.7 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 7 | [CS7N-700TB-AG](https://comparepv.com/panel/csi-solar-co-ltd-canadian-solar-cs7n-700tb-ag) | 700 | 22.5 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 8 | [CS7N-695TB-AG](https://comparepv.com/panel/csi-solar-co-ltd-canadian-solar-cs7n-695tb-ag) | 695 | 22.4 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 9 | [CS7N-690TB-AG](https://comparepv.com/panel/csi-solar-co-ltd-canadian-solar-cs7n-690tb-ag) | 690 | 22.2 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline |
| 10 | [CS7N-675MS](https://comparepv.com/panel/csi-solar-co-ltd-canadian-solar-cs7n-675ms) | 675 | 21.7 | -0.340 | Monocrystalline |


## Top panels, KIOTO Solar


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [KPV 450 Wp HC NE](https://comparepv.com/panel/kioto-solar-kpv-450-wp-hc-ne) | 450 | 22.5 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |
| 2 | [KPV 450Wp HC](https://comparepv.com/panel/kioto-solar-kpv-450wp-hc) | 450 | 22.5 | -0.320 | Monocrystalline |
| 3 | [KPV 450Wp HC NE (G/G-TC)](https://comparepv.com/panel/kioto-solar-kpv-450wp-hc-ne-g-g-tc) | 450 | 22.5 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |
| 4 | [KPV 445Wp HC](https://comparepv.com/panel/kioto-solar-kpv-445wp-hc) | 445 | 22.8 | -0.320 | Monocrystalline |
| 5 | [KPV 445Wp HC NE (G/G-TC)](https://comparepv.com/panel/kioto-solar-kpv-445wp-hc-ne-g-g-tc) | 445 | 22.8 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |
| 6 | [KPV 440 Wp HCB](https://comparepv.com/panel/kioto-solar-kpv-440-wp-hcb) | 440 | 22.0 | -0.320 | Monocrystalline |
| 7 | [KPV 440Wp HC NE (G/G-TC)](https://comparepv.com/panel/kioto-solar-kpv-440wp-hc-ne-g-g-tc) | 440 | 22.5 | -0.300 | Monocrystalline |


## Summary

Canadian Solar is a Canadian manufacturer headquartered in Guelph, Ontario, founded in 2001 by Dr. Shawn Qu and listed on Nasdaq since 2006. The company runs an annual module manufacturing capacity of roughly 61 GW, placing it among the largest producers globally, and in BloombergNEF bankability surveys all respondent banks and EPCs rated its modules as bankable, confirming solid Tier 1 status. KIOTO Solar, by contrast, is an Austrian manufacturer based in St. Veit an der Glan, Carinthia, operating under the Sonnenkraft group, with roots tracing back to 1991 and module production starting in 2005; its output is measured in the hundreds of megawatts rather than gigawatts. In terms of institutional footprint, financing scale, and global bankability recognition, Canadian Solar holds a clear edge.

Canadian Solar's product lineup spans the HiKu, bifacial BiHiKu, and TOPCon-based TOPHiKu residential series, alongside utility-scale modules and battery storage systems, making it a versatile choice for both homeowners and large-scale project developers. KIOTO Solar focuses on the European market and the rooftop segment specifically, covering classic residential installations, carport systems, and plug-and-play modules, with TOPCon panels in the 440-450W range and claimed efficiencies up to around 22.8 percent, manufactured exclusively in Austria.

For a typical buyer prioritizing locally made European panels and long warranty coverage on a residential rooftop, KIOTO Solar can be a reasonable and marketing-friendly pick, though its production scale and global bankability are not comparable to Canadian Solar's. For utility-scale or bank-financed projects requiring confirmed Tier 1 status, Canadian Solar remains the safer default. The two brands are not truly interchangeable, as they effectively serve different market segments.

Written by claude-sonnet-5 from the figures above.


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- [Canadian Solar vs AKCOME](https://comparepv.com/canadian-solar-vs-akcome)
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Source: https://comparepv.com/canadian-solar-vs-kioto-solar

Not in this file, on the page: the distributions above drawn as charts.