Major PV energy provider, Canadian Solar, has qualified to supply modules to US residential PV installer and distributor, Sunrun.
Canadian Solar is targeting the US as a key market both in module supply and building PV power plant projects as it expands capacity to meet strong demand for its products and increasing project pipeline.
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Dr. Shawn Qu, chairman and chief executive of Canadian Solar, said: “Sunrun is one of the solar industry's fastest-growing and leading companies. We are very happy to work together with Sunrun to promote the development of solar energy. This partnership is another strategic move that will allow us to maintain our market position and grow as North America's largest solar manufacturer.”
Currently, Canadian Solar has a module assembly plant in Canada but the majority of its manufacturing capacity is based in China. The company is benefiting from the US anti-dumping duties by using modules made at its plant in Ontario, Canada but has been limited in product availability due to the build-out of PV projects in Canada as its module’s comply with local content rules. The assembly plant in Canada currently has a nameplate capacity of 500MW.
The company has a late-stage PV project and EPC contract pipeline in Canada of 387MW and 84MW in the US.
SolarWorld recently said it would expand module capacity at its plant in Oregon, US from 390MW to 530MW with completion and ramp by the third quarter of 2015.
Canadian Solar noted in its most recent earnings call that although the company was expanding capacity in China in 2015, further capacity expansions overall should not be ruled out, due to demand.
Leading US residential installer, SolarCity has recently made module purchase deals with REC Solar, based in Singapore and not subject to anti-dumping duties. SolarCity had predominantly used tier-one Chinese modules from the likes of Yingli Green.