Canadian Solar has unveiled two new products including a low-carbon solar module with a conversion efficiency of up to 24.4 per cent, and a next-generation modular battery with up to 8.36 megawatt-hours (MWh) energy capacity.
Canadian Solar’s new next generation of Low Carbon (LC) modules combine the company’s latest wafer innovations with advanced heterojunction (HJT) cell technology to deliver an impressive carbon footprint of only 285 kilograms of CO2equivalent per kilowatt (kg CO₂eq/kW).
According to Canadian Solar, this is one of the lowest carbon footprints of all silicon-based solar modules around the globe.
In addition to an industry-leading low carbon footprint, the new LC modules also deliver output of up to 660 Wp and boast a module efficiency of up to 24.4 per cent.
The new LC modules incorporate innovations in ingot, wafer, and HJT technologies, including a higher ingot utilisation rate, helping to lower emissions by approximately 9.7 per cent, or 30 kg CO2/kWp.
Thinner wafers for each solar cell help to reduce silicon consumption and carbon emissions by between 4.5 to 5.5 per cent, or between 14-19kg CO2/kWp, and optimised HJT cell manufacturing has been streamlined to just four steps, compared to between 10 and 13 steps for TOPCon or back contact (BC) solar cells.
All told, total energy consumption during production of each LC module is around 105.62 MWh/MW, an energy saving of between 8.8 to 10.7 per cent compared to TOPCon and BC solar module production.
Designed for utility-scale and commercial & industrial (C&I) applications, the new LC modules are expected to begin deliveries in August. The LC modules are also fully compatible with Canadian Solar’s existing range of solar inverters.
“We are proud to introduce our new environmentally friendly, low-carbon modules, marking a key milestone in sustainable solar manufacturing,” said Thomas Koerner, corporate senior vice president of Canadian Solar.
“By combining advanced wafer innovations with heterojunction (HJT) cell technology, we are significantly reducing the carbon footprint of solar energy while maintaining the proven reliability and high efficiency Canadian Solar is known for.”
Canadian Solar’s majority-owned subsidiary CSI Solar and its own subsidiary e-Storage are set to make their own splash this week at the RE+ clean energy event in Las Vegas with the official launch of their new next generation modular battery, the FlexBank 1.0.
The new battery system is expected to be ready for deployment in 2026 and expands e-Storage’s battery energy storage system (BESS) portfolio with a new scalable energy storage platform designed for utility-scale applications.
FlexBank 1.0 is built on e-Storage’s proven 314Ah lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cell technology and delivers up to 8.36 MWh of energy capacity inside a modular open-frame architecture that enables each cabinet to function as an “independent building block” which Canadian Solar says greatly simplifies logistics and installation.
A skid-mounted design also helps to enable rapid assembly and a range of layout configurations, improving flexibility and reducing EPC costs.
A multi-tiered protection system in each cabinet consists of heat barriers protecting the cells, a three-level electrical protection system, and advanced cell-level precision management. The modular design of the system has been engineered to prevent thermal propagation between the cabinets, therefore significantly reducing fire risk.
“FlexBank 1.0 is the strategic evolution of our utility-scale energy storage platform, engineered to address our customers’ critical needs for safe, adaptable, and cost-effective solutions,” said Colin Parkin, president of e-Storage.
“By dramatically simplifying deployment, we are providing a more reliable and adaptable technology that will accelerate the global transition to renewable energy and deliver tangible value for developers and investors.”
