Canadian Solar panels: The complete review

Canadian Solar is one of the world's largest manufacturers and installers of solar panels and operates on six continents. The company was founded in 2001 and manufactures its solar panels in Canada, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Brazil. Canadian Solar provides a range of options for home and business owners. Canadian Solar panels are a regularly quoted solar panel brand in quotes to solar shoppers comparing their options on the EnergySage Marketplace.

Canadian Solar offers several series of solar panels for residential and commercial systems, including those below:

• All-Black (residential)

• HiDM (residential)

• Ku (commercial)

• BiKu (commercial)

• HiKu (commercial)

• BiHiKu (commercial)

EnergySage has reviewed the product specifications of each Canadian Solar panel series to make your solar research process easier. As the leading online marketplace for homeowners considering solar, EnergySage is uniquely positioned to evaluate the technical specifications of Canadian Solar solar panels and help you compare them to other manufacturers on the market.

There are four key metrics that you should review as you evaluate solar panel quality: efficiency, performance, warranties, and price. EnergySage has developed Canadian Solar panel reviews for each metric to help make your solar decision easier. We've also created a comparison of Canadian Solar panels against other leading panel manufacturers frequently featured in offers to homeowners and businesses shopping for solar on the EnergySage Marketplace.

Efficiency

"Solar panel efficiency" refers to how well a solar panel captures sunlight and converts it into useful electricity. In the same conditions, a high-efficiency solar panel will produce more electricity than a lower-efficiency panel of the same size. For this reason, a higher efficiency rating is generally preferable.

The efficiency of your Canadian Solar panels will vary depending on the specific model that you choose for your system. Canadian Solar panels have an efficiency rating of 15.88% to 20.60%.

Performance (temperature coefficient)

We use the temperature coefficient to evaluate solar panel performance. The temperature coefficient indicates how well your solar panel can handle less-than-ideal conditions. Solar panels, like other electronic equipment, perform better when kept cool (ideally around 25° C/77° F). The temperature coefficient tells you how much your panel's performance will change during hot sunny summer days.

For every degree above 25° C (77° F), your solar panel's electricity production will decrease by its temperature coefficient. For example, the Canadian Solar CS1H-325MS panel from their HIDM residential series has a temperature coefficient of -0.37%/°C. This means that if the panel's temperature increases by one degree from 25° C (77° F) to 26° C (79° F), its electricity production will decrease by 0.37%. If its temperature increases to 35°C (95° F), electricity production will reduce by 3.7%.

Your solar panels will likely see more than a few hot and sunny days each year, so ideally, they will have the lowest temperature coefficient possible. Canadian Solar panels have temperature coefficients between -0.41 and-0.35.

Warranties

Whether you're buying a TV, a car, or solar panels, the manufacturer should stand behind their product with a strong warranty. A solar panel's materials warranty (sometimes referred to as the product or equipment warranty) is a guarantee from the manufacturer that they will replace your panel if it fails due to manufacturing defects or environmental issues.

Canadian Solar offers up to a 15-year warranty for defects in their solar panels, depending on the product line. You can read more about how Canadian Solar's warranties compare to other top companies in our solar warranties overview.

For many homeowners, the final decision around the solar equipment they choose rests on cost. The total price you pay for a solar energy system with Canadian Solar panels will vary depending on the other equipment (such as inverters and mounts) used in the installation and the characteristics of your roof.

To identify the range of prices for Canadian Solar PV systems, we analyzed quotes, including Canadian Solar solar panels that homeowners received from installers on the EnergySage Marketplace. Most Canadian Solar PV systems are typically priced between $2.70 and $3.20 per watt, which makes them a strong value in the market for home solar.

This means that, for a 6 kW system, your gross cost (before you subtract any tax credits or other incentives) would be anywhere from $16,200 to $19,200. Additionally, most homeowners end up paying much less than the total gross cost, with the 30% federal tax credit for solar, which everyone is eligible for; a 6 kW system with Canadian Solar panels would cost anywhere from $11,340 to $13,440. Plenty of state-level solar incentives and rebates can help you reduce upfront costs even further.

Canadian Solar panels may not offer the absolute best efficiency or performance in the solar industry, but thanks to their low price and solid performance, they're a popular choice for shoppers comparing solar quotes on the EnergySage Marketplace.

The best way to determine whether Canadian Solar offers the best solar panels for your home is to review multiple quotes with different solar equipment options before deciding. When you compare your options on the EnergySage Marketplace, you'll find the right combination of price and quality that meets your needs.

Many of our qualified, pre-vetted solar installers offer Canadian Solar in their quotes to EnergySage users. When registering, note in your profile that you're interested in receiving quotes that include Canadian Solar panels for your home.