Canadian Solar vs YS Solar - solar panel manufacturer comparison
Canadian Solar has the broader catalog (292 vs 5 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
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
Guangdong Yaosheng Solar Technology Co., Ltd. (YS SOLAR) is a national high-tech enterprise specializing in the R&D, production, sales, and service of photovoltaic and solar thermal products. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Guangdong Yaosheng-Yifang Group. YS Solar has become a leading enterprise in the...
- Founded
- 2009
- Headquarters
- Meizhou City, Guangdong Province, China
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 was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Guelph, Ontario, though the bulk of its manufacturing takes place in China and Southeast Asia. It has been publicly listed on NASDAQ since 2006 and consistently appears on BloombergNEF and S&P Global Commodity Insights Tier 1 lists, confirming strong bankability with project financiers. Its stated module manufacturing capacity targets for 2025 exceed 50 GW, making it one of the largest solar module producers in the world. YS Solar - formally Guangdong Yaosheng Solar Technology Co., Ltd. - was founded in 2009 and operates out of Meizhou, Guangdong, China, with a reported workforce of roughly 1,200 people. It is registered in the ENF Solar directory as a monocrystalline and polycrystalline module producer, but it does not appear on any BloombergNEF Tier 1 bankability list, and independent coverage of the brand in major renewable-energy trade publications is essentially absent. On institutional footprint, Canadian Solar has a commanding advantage.
Canadian Solar's current product families span the HiKu residential and commercial lines built on PERC cell technology, and the TOPHiKu6 series built on N-type TOPCon cells, which the company reports reaching efficiency levels up to roughly 22.5 percent. These modules serve residential rooftops, commercial flat roofs, and large utility-scale ground mounts worldwide, backed by product warranties of up to 25 years and performance warranties extending to 30 years. YS Solar offers monocrystalline and polycrystalline panels in a power range of approximately 160-550 Wp, including a PERC line. The brand appears oriented toward budget commercial and off-grid applications rather than premium residential or utility-scale installations, and no independent efficiency or field-test data from credible sources could be verified.
For most buyers in 2025 - whether residential, commercial, or utility - Canadian Solar is the clear default choice, offering documented bankability, a mature TOPCon product line, and a global service network. YS Solar may suit cost-sensitive buyers where financing and long-term performance guarantees are less critical, but the lack of Tier 1 status and independent review data represents a meaningful risk that most project owners would be wise to avoid.
Generated by Claude Sonnet · 2026-06-21
Other brand comparisons
Shop prices: See 40 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.