Canadian Solar adding 3GW of module capacity in 2020 despite lack of demand

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Canadian Solar plans to increase module assembly capacity by 3GW in 2020, giving the company a total nameplate capacity of 16GW, while shipments were guided between a range of 10GW to 12GW for the year. Image: Canadian Solar

‘Solar Module Super League (SMSL) member, Canadian Solar plans to increase module assembly capacity by 3GW in 2020, giving the company a total nameplate capacity of 16GW, while shipments were guided between a range of 10GW to 12GW for the year. 

The SMSL, known for quarter-on-quarter capacity tweaking, added approximately 820MW of global module assembly capacity in 2019 that was above previous guidance. As a result, module assembly capacity in 2019 reached approximately 13GW. 

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

Canadian Solar also ended 2019 with 9.6GW of solar cell capacity, a 300MW uptick from previous guidance of 9.3GW of capacity planned for year end. The company plans to add 500MW of solar cell capacity in 2020, taking nameplate capacity to 10.1GW. 

Wafer capacity expansions have not been on the cards since 2018 and so the latest guidance is no new wafer capacity expansions in 2020, leaving capacity at 5GW. 

However, the SMSL added 200MW of ingot production in 2019, taking capacity to 1,650MW, while plans for 2020 are to expand slightly to 2,350MW.  The company did not highlight whether the ingot production expansions related to cast-mono (multi), p-type mono or n-type mono production.

The company rarely details capacity expansions on a geographical basis but has major manufacturing operations in China and much smaller operations in South East Asia, as well a OEM contracted production in Vietnam and Brazil. 

Canadian Solar did not provide any explanation as to why the module assembly capacity expansions were required in 2020, given that module assembly capacity in 2019 reached approximately 13GW and able to meet the high-end of shipment guidance for 2020 of 12GW. 

Canadian Solar did not provide any explanation as to why the module assembly capacity expansions were required in 2020, given that module assembly capacity in 2019 reached approximately 13GW and able to meet the high-end of shipment guidance for 2020 of 12GW.
7 October 2025
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
PV Tech has been running an annual PV CellTech Conference since 2016. PV CellTech USA, on 7-8 October 2025 is our third PV CellTech conference dedicated to the U.S. manufacturing sector. The events in 2023 and 2024 were a sell out success and 2025 will once again gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing in the U.S. out to 2030 and beyond.
10 March 2026
Frankfurt, Germany
The conference will gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing out to 2030 and beyond.

Read Next

September 11, 2025
US cell manufacturer ES Foundry is proceeding with expansion plans despite a six-month delay due to recent trade and tax credit policy uncertainties.
Premium
September 11, 2025
PV CellTech USA: US cell manufacturer ES Foundry’s CEO Alex Zhu discusses his company's rapid ascent, strategic technology choices and the challenges of operating in a shifting policy environment.
September 10, 2025
At RE+ 2025, companies launched AI-driven platforms, terrain-following trackers, low-carbon modules, and advanced energy management solutions for solar and storage.
September 9, 2025
China has advanced in the integration of AI and new energy, covering areas such as power forecasting, electricity markets, and O&M.
September 8, 2025
Vaisala has launched a new hail alert system aimed at solar operators grappling with an increasingly costly problem for PV installations.
September 5, 2025
Scientists from Germany and Saudi Arabia have discovered that perovskite thin-film cells are compatible with current industry standard silicon solar cells, which they claim is a “crucial step toward the industrialisation of perovskite silicon tandem solar cells”.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines