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

# Canadian Solar vs TCL Zhonghuan

Canadian Solar has the broader catalog (292 vs 66 models). TCL Zhonghuan leads on peak efficiency at 24.60%. TCL Zhonghuan leans bifacial (65% of lineup).


## The two companies


| Attribute | Canadian Solar | TCL Zhonghuan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Country | Canada | China |
| Headquarters | Kitchener | Tianjin |
| Founded | 2001 | 1981 |
| Employees | 17,113 |  |
| Annual capacity | 51 GW/year |  |
| Tier 1 | yes | yes |
| Listed | NASDAQ: CSIQ | SZSE: 002129 |
| Website | [https://www.canadiansolar.com](https://www.canadiansolar.com) | [https://www.tjsemi.com](https://www.tjsemi.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.


## Catalog & Power


| Measure | Canadian Solar | TCL Zhonghuan | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Panel Models | 292 | 66 | +226 |
| Max Power | 730 W | 725 W | +5 W |
| Avg Power | 472 W | 585 W | +113 W |


## Efficiency


| Measure | Canadian Solar | TCL Zhonghuan | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max Efficiency | 24.40% | 24.60% | +0.20 pp |
| Avg Efficiency | 20.66% | 23.13% | +2.48 pp |


## Reliability & Warranty


| Measure | Canadian Solar | TCL Zhonghuan | Margin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.331%/°C | -0.273%/°C | +0.059 |
| Bifacial Share | 133 (46%) | 43 (65%) | +20 pp |
| Avg Warranty | 28.2 yrs | 30.0 yrs | +1.8 yr |


## Efficiency distribution

TCL Zhonghuan skews to higher efficiency: 58% of lineup is 23%+


| Efficiency band | Canadian Solar | TCL Zhonghuan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<20% | 128 (43.8%) | 0 |
| 20-21% | 36 (12.3%) | 0 |
| 21-22% | 41 (14.0%) | 1 (1.5%) |
| 22-23% | 50 (17.1%) | 27 (40.9%) |
| 23%+ | 37 (12.7%) | 38 (57.6%) |


## Power distribution

TCL Zhonghuan offers more 600W+ panels (55% of lineup)


| Power band | Canadian Solar | TCL Zhonghuan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| \<400W | 104 (35.6%) | 0 |
| 400-499W | 72 (24.7%) | 17 (25.8%) |
| 500-599W | 45 (15.4%) | 13 (19.7%) |
| 600-699W | 64 (21.9%) | 24 (36.4%) |
| 700W+ | 7 (2.4%) | 12 (18.2%) |


## Cell technology

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

Dominant cell tech: **Back Contact** (45%)


| Technology | Canadian Solar | TCL Zhonghuan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PERC | 195 (66.8%) | 0 |
| TOPCon | 85 (29.1%) | 30 (45.5%) |
| HJT | 12 (4.1%) | 0 |
| Back Contact | 0 | 30 (45.5%) |
| N-type | 0 | 6 (9.1%) |


## 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, TCL Zhonghuan


| # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [HSM-ND66-GK725 (IEC1500V)](https://comparepv.com/panel/tcl-zhonghuan-hsm-nd66-gk725-iec1500v) | 725 | 23.3 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline |
| 2 | [HSM-ND66-GK725](https://comparepv.com/panel/tcl-zhonghuan-hsm-nd66-gk725) | 725 | 23.3 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline |
| 3 | [HSM-ND66-GK720 (IEC1500V)](https://comparepv.com/panel/tcl-zhonghuan-hsm-nd66-gk720-iec1500v) | 720 | 23.0 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline |
| 4 | [HSM-ND66-GK720](https://comparepv.com/panel/tcl-zhonghuan-hsm-nd66-gk720) | 720 | 23.2 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline |
| 5 | [HSM-ND66-GK715 (IEC1500V)](https://comparepv.com/panel/tcl-zhonghuan-hsm-nd66-gk715-iec1500v) | 715 | 22.9 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline |
| 6 | [HSM-ND66-GK715](https://comparepv.com/panel/tcl-zhonghuan-hsm-nd66-gk715) | 715 | 23.0 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline |
| 7 | [HSM-ND66-GK710](https://comparepv.com/panel/tcl-zhonghuan-hsm-nd66-gk710) | 710 | 22.9 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline |
| 8 | [HSM-ND66-GK710 (IEC1500V)](https://comparepv.com/panel/tcl-zhonghuan-hsm-nd66-gk710-iec1500v) | 710 | 22.9 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline |
| 9 | [HSM-ND66-GK705](https://comparepv.com/panel/tcl-zhonghuan-hsm-nd66-gk705) | 705 | 22.7 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline |
| 10 | [HSM-ND66-GK705 (IEC1500V)](https://comparepv.com/panel/tcl-zhonghuan-hsm-nd66-gk705-iec1500v) | 705 | 22.7 | -0.280 | Monocrystalline |


## Summary

Canadian Solar is a Canadian manufacturer headquartered in Guelph, Ontario, listed on NASDAQ since 2006 and one of the longer-established names in global PV manufacturing. It has been recognized on S&P Global Commodity Insights Tier 1 Cleantech lists for both 2025 and 2026, and it operates module production capacity of roughly 61 GW per year, having shipped close to 165 GW of modules cumulatively worldwide. TCL Zhonghuan is a China-headquartered producer based in Tianjin, tracing its roots to Tianjin Zhonghuan Semiconductor founded in 1958, and it is today one of the world's largest monocrystalline silicon wafer suppliers as well as a BloombergNEF-confirmed Tier 1 bankable module maker, with module capacity recently expanded to around 35 GW per year, the largest single capacity jump on BloombergNEF's rankings in a recent quarter. In terms of institutional footprint, Canadian Solar carries a longer public-markets track record and broader brand recognition in Western markets, while TCL Zhonghuan holds a deeper upstream position through its wafer manufacturing heritage.

Canadian Solar's product range spans N-type TOPCon modules under the TOPHiKu and TOPBiHiKu families, including bifacial variants rated up to 690 W, alongside HJT modules in its HiHero line and legacy PERC panels under the HiKu series aimed at residential rooftops. This breadth lets the company serve everything from small home systems to commercial and industrial (C&I) installations and utility-scale ground-mount projects. TCL Zhonghuan's module business centers on TOPCon cell and module technology, and as of 2026 the company has begun converting roughly 20 GW of TOPCon cell capacity toward back-contact (BC) technology, signaling an aggressive technology roadmap, though its module brand carries less name recognition among installers outside China than Canadian Solar's.

For a typical international buyer, particularly for smaller rooftop or commercial projects, Canadian Solar remains the more conservative default choice given its longer track record, established local distribution and warranty support in many markets. TCL Zhonghuan is worth considering for buyers prioritizing cutting-edge cell technology or upstream wafer-linked supply security, but for most purchasers the two brands are broadly comparable in Tier 1 bankability and baseline product quality, making the choice largely one of product fit and local availability rather than manufacturer risk.

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


## Other comparisons

- [Canadian Solar vs A.B. Energy](https://comparepv.com/canadian-solar-vs-a-b-energy)
- [AE Solar vs TCL Zhonghuan](https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-tcl-zhonghuan)
- [Canadian Solar vs AEET](https://comparepv.com/canadian-solar-vs-aeet)
- [AIKO vs TCL Zhonghuan](https://comparepv.com/aiko-vs-tcl-zhonghuan)
- [Canadian Solar vs AKCOME](https://comparepv.com/canadian-solar-vs-akcome)
- [ARTsolar vs TCL Zhonghuan](https://comparepv.com/artsolar-vs-tcl-zhonghuan)


---

Source: https://comparepv.com/canadian-solar-vs-tcl-zhonghuan

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