Canadian Solar Unveils Low-Carbon Modules to Drive Sustainable Growth

Canadian Solar Inc. CSIQ recently launched its next-generation Low Carbon (“LC”) modules, designed for utility-scale and commercial & industrial (“C&I”) applications. These LC modules come with an industry-leading carbon footprint of only 285 kg CO???eq per kW, thereby ranking among the lowest for silicon-based solar modules worldwide.

No doubt this launch should further strengthen Canadian Solar’s footprint in the global solar market as a sustainable manufacturer.

Benefits of the Launch

As industries worldwide undergo a revolutionary energy transition, solar energy is emerging as the fastest-growing renewable sector globally. Amid this backdrop, demand for solar modules with lower energy consumption and smaller carbon footprints is rising. To capitalize on this trend, manufacturers like Canadian Solar are investing in low-carbon modules, resulting in the latest launch. 

Impressively, CSIQ’s production of LC modules consumes at least 8.8% less energy than TOPCon and BC solar module production, while the thinner wafers used in these modules result in lower silicon consumption, thereby reducing carbon emissions by 4.5–5.5% compared to traditional modules.

In a nutshell, Canadian Solar’s LC modules can reduce carbon payback time by about 11% versus conventional N-type silicon modules, allowing customers to deploy highly efficient, high-power panels while significantly lowering the overall carbon footprint of their solar systems.

Looking ahead, as per a report by the Data Insights Market firm, the global Low Carbon Power System market is expected to witness a compound annual growth rate of 8% from 2025 to 2033. Such market growth projections should bode well for stocks like Canadian Solar, which has been putting notable efforts into measuring GHG emissions from its operations, including manufacturing, since 2020.

With the company’s vision of powering all its operations with renewable energy by 2030, we may expect it to bring more such low-carbon products to the market in the coming years.  

Other Stocks to Watch

CSIQ apart, other companies that are investing in low-carbon products and thus stand to benefit from the aforementioned market’s prospects are mentioned below:

First Solar FSLR: Its series 6 and series 7 became the world’s first photovoltaic (PV) solar modules to achieve the EPEAT Climate+ designation in 2024. These modules met the ultra-low carbon threshold of ≤400 kg CO2e/kWp, setting a new global standard for Ultra-Low Carbon Solar modules last year. 

FSLR’s long-term (three to five years) earnings growth rate is 33.4%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings per share (EPS) is pinned at $15.17, indicating a year-over-year increase of 26.2%.

JinkoSolar JKS: The company unveiled its Neo Green panels in February 2024. These N-type TOPCon Tiger Neo panels are produced in factories that were awarded the "Zero Carbon Factory" certification by TÜV Rheinland for their compliance with the criteria and requirements of such certification.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for JKS’ 2025 sales is pinned at $8.87 billion, indicating a year-over-year decrease of 30.8%. It delivered an average earnings surprise of 440% in the last four quarters. 

GE Vernova GEV: Its gas turbines have experience operating on fuels with hydrogen content ranging from 5% (by volume) to 100%. These hydrogen-fueled turbines can produce power with significantly reduced carbon emissions, supporting the energy transition and decarbonization goals. 

GEV’s long-term earnings growth rate is 18%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 EPS is pinned at $8.04, indicating a year-over-year increase of 44.1%.

CSIQ Stock’s Price Performance

In the past six months, shares of the company have risen 11% compared with the industry’s 35.5% growth.    

CSIQ’s Zacks Rank

The company currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

 

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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