Canadian Solar Panels

Written-by

Richard Burdett

Reviewed-by

Richard Burdett

Updated on

Sep 04, 2024

Canadian Solar Panels

Presence in the UK Market

In 2011, Canadian Solar decided to expand its market and development to the UK. It was agreed that Canadian Solar would supply 15MW of solar modules for three UK solar farms, which would be constructed by Isolux – a Spanish renewable energy company.

Solar Panels

Canadian Solar develop specialty solar modules and products such as:

• ELPS (efficient long-term photovoltaic solutions)
• BIPV (building integrated photovoltaic)

These are developed for the solar power market, and Canadian Solar’s BIPV modules are used in a range of applications. This includes commercial and residential roofing as well as architectural glazing. The panels developed by Canadian Solar can be used for both on-grid and off-grid applications. The modules themselves are created from either 60 cell or 72 cell modules. Canadian Solar also use both monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar cells in its panel production, and these silicon wafers go through several manufacturing stages. These include surface texturing, diffusion, plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition, and surface metallization. These panels are known for being industry leaders when it comes to excellent performance at low irradiation. They currently sell six models, and you can read about each of these below. If you want to learn more about solar power in general, please feel free to visit our main information page here.

Features and Efficiency

These panels do deliver excellent levels of efficiency, with rates of up to 16.6%. In addition to this, the solar panels that are produced by Canadian Solar are also incredibly reliable. The panels are specially coated to protect them from salt mist, ammonia, and sand that has been caught up in the wind. This means that for homeowners in coastal or agricultural areas, the possibility of having solar panels has been massively increased. The frame is also very durable as it is made from anodised aluminium alloy. In addition to all of this, the panels also come with an anti-glare surface module that provides better efficiency. The front cover is constructed from tempered glass that is a mere 3.2mm. The panels have also passed the test for long-term weather endurance. They are able to hold up to 5,400pa of heavy snow, compared to the 2400pa that they were tested against. This feature alone makes the panels both a preferred and superior choice for homeowners who live in northern locations where snow is frequently found in the winter months.

Models Available in The UK

Currently, there are ten models on the UK market, and they have been grouped into four series. The Max Power CS6X-P series is made from polycrystalline cells and is able to deliver efficiency rates of up to 16.1%. The cell size is 156x156mm, and the solar panel is comprised of 72 cells (6x12). The front cover is made from tempered glass, and the frame from anodised aluminium alloy.

  The CS6P-M series are made of monocrystalline silicon cells, and are able to deliver efficiency rates of up to 16.1%. The cell size is also 156x156mm, and the panels themselves are comprised of 60 solar cells (6x10). The front cover is made from 3.2mm tempered glass, and the frame from anodised aluminium alloy.

  The CS6P-P series are made of polycrystalline silicon and are able to delivery efficiency rates of up to 16.1%. The cell size for these is also 156x156mm, and the solar panel is comprised of 60 cells (6x10). The front cover is constructed from 3.2mm tempered glass, and the frame from anodised aluminium alloy.  

  The CS5A-M are the lightest panels that are produced by Canadian Solar. The cells are made of monocrystalline silicon, and are able to delivery efficiency rates of up to 16.05%. The cell size is 125x125mm, and the panel is comprised of 72 cells (6x12). The front cover is made from 3.2mm tempered glass, and the frame constructed from anodised aluminium alloy.

Warranty

Canadian Solar offer the following warranty for their solar modules:

• 25-year linear performance warranty
• During the first year, Canadian Solar guarantees the power output will be no less than 97% of the minimum power output
• From the 2^nd year until the 24^th year, the power decline will be (at most) 0.7%
• At the end of the warranty, power output will be no less than 80% of the labelled output
• 10-year limited product warranty
• They guarantee that the modules will be free from defects caused by materials or workmanship