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The 7 largest solar panel manufacturers in the world

Solar-energy Last updated on 2 January 4 min read

Discover which companies are producing the highest number of solar panels around the world.

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Written byMelody Abeni

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What's in this guide?What's in this guide?

At a glance

&#;&#; The majority of solar panel manufacturers are based in China

China produces 86% of the world&#;s solar panels each year, according to Germany&#;s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems.

In comparison, Europe and North America each produce around 2%.

It therefore makes sense that six of the world's seven largest solar manufacturers are also based in China.

&#; The largest solar panel manufacturer is TW-Solar, followed by JA Solar

Tongwei Solar (TW-Solar) is the largest solar panel manufacturer in the world.

TW-Solar shipped a whopping 38.1GW of solar modules in , doubling Trina Solar's shipments and achieving an annual revenue of USD $20.57 billion (£16.2 billion).

The company employs over 50,000 staff around the globe and is the world's largest in-house polycrystalline silicon producer. It also plans to double its annual production capacity of 80GWp to 150GWp by .

&#; TW-Solar is the only solar panel company on the Fortune Global 500 list

In August , Tongwei Group made history as the first solar PV company on the Fortune Global 500 list.

It's still the only solar company on the global list, as of March .

&#; Canadian Solar is the only company outside of China to make the list

The sixth largest solar manufacturer in terms of shipments is Canadian Solar Inc. &#; the only solar PV module manufacturer on this list with headquarters based outside of China.

With over 20,000 employees in at least 30 countries, Canadian Solar operates large manufacturing facilities in both Canada and China, as well as Indonesia, Vietnam and Brazil.

Solar power is currently the world&#;s third largest renewable electricity technology after hydropower and wind (International Energy Agency, ), and it's ultimately powered by solar panel manufacturers. 

From Asia to North America and everywhere in between, these manufacturers aren't just driving technological innovation but also shaping the future of clean energy worldwide

This article will explore the achievements and contributions of the top seven industry giants in the solar photovoltaic (PV) world.

What are the world&#;s seven largest solar manufacturers?

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory&#;s Spring Solar Industry Update Report sets out the details of the world&#;s largest solar panel manufacturers.

We've outlined them below, in ascending order, based on the manufacturers' number of solar shipments in . 

These shipments are measured in gigawatt-peak (GWp), which is a unit that tells us the peak power output of a solar PV device under standard test conditions. One gigawatt (GW) is equal to 1 billion watts (W), or 1 million kilowatts (kW). 

7. Trina Solar

Name Country Year founded Solar manufactured in (GWp) Trina Solar Co. Ltd. China 14.5

Trina Solar Co. Ltd. is a Chinese solar PV module manufacturer that shipped the equivalent of 14.5GWp worth of solar modules in . That&#;s enough electricity to power over 7 million washing machines for an hour (based on a typical 2.1kW appliance).

The company operates in over 160 countries and employs over 23,000 people. Besides manufacturing solar products like PV panels, storage batteries, and solar trackers, Trina Solar offers project management, construction, and maintenance services for large-scale solar installations.

The company also invests heavily in research and development (R&D), claiming its 25th world record for solar cell efficiency and module power in . This has helped it maintain a strong market presence, securing a revenue of $12.5 billion (approx. £9.85 billion) in .

6. Canadian Solar

Name Country Year founded Solar manufactured in (GWp) Canadian Solar Inc. Canada 16.8

The sixth largest solar manufacturer in terms of shipments is Canadian Solar Inc. - the only solar PV module manufacturer on this list with headquarters based outside of China.

With over 20,000 employees in at least 30 countries, Canadian Solar operates large manufacturing facilities in both Canada and China, as well as Indonesia, Vietnam and Brazil.

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Canadian Solar caters to residential, commercial and utility needs with a product range including PV panels, storage batteries and solar inverters. 

In , the company exported around 16.8GWp of solar modules, resulting in an annual revenue of USD $7.47 billion (approx. £5.88 billion).

5. JinkoSolar

Name Country Year founded Solar manufactured in (GWp) JinkoSolar Holding Co. Ltd China 23.9

Jinko Solar Co. Ltd. is another big Chinese manufacturer, and the fifth largest on this list with 23.9GWp shipped in . The company HQ is in Shanghai and it has 14 factories elsewhere in China, as well as in Malaysia, Vietnam, and the United States.

JinkoSolar offers a range of PV modules and storage systems for both domestic and commercial use, and has cumulatively delivered 210GWp worth of solar products since . In , the company reported USD $12.11 billion (approx. £9.54 billion) in revenue.

4. LONGi

Name Country Year founded Solar manufactured in (GWp) LONGi Green Energy Technology Co. Ltd. China 29.2

LONGi Green Energy Technology Co. Ltd. ranks fourth on our list, with 29.2GWp of solar module shipments in and USD $19.27 billion (approx. £15.23 billion) in revenues the same year.

Operating with 60,000-plus employees in over 30 countries, LONGi Solar specialises in monocrystalline silicon technology and aims to produce 100GWp of solar wafers and 50GWp of solar cells each year.

The company has seven domestic manufacturing plants in China, as well as overseas facilities in Malaysia and Vietnam. As part of its sustainability commitments, the company uses clean energy and green manufacturing within all its operations through its "Solar for Solar" business model.

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3. AIKO

Name Country Year founded Solar manufactured in (GWp) Shanghai AIKO Energy Co. Ltd. China 30.7

The third largest solar panel manufacturer is Shanghai AIKO Energy Co. Ltd., which exported 30.7GWp of solar modules in .

AIKO&#;s sleek black N-type ABC (All Back Contact) monocrystalline glass modules have been consistently ranked as the world's most efficient panels (at 24% efficiency) since their launch in March .

As well as selling panels, the company's product range also includes individual PV cells, solar inverters, battery storage, mounting systems and specialist digital programs.

With a turnover exceeding CNY ¥35.08 billion (approx. £3.84 billion) in and cumulative shipments exceeding 120 GW, AIKO employs over 15,000 people globally and holds over 1,061 patents.

2. JA Solar

Name Country Year founded Solar manufactured in (GWp) JA Solar Technology Co. Ltd. China 36.2

Narrowly missing out on the top position, Beijing-based JA Solar Technology Co. Ltd. is the second largest solar panel manufacturer in the world with 36.2GWp of solar modules shipped in .

Based on Ofgem&#;s estimates of a typical household&#;s annual electricity usage, 36.2GWp is enough electricity to power over 13.4 million UK homes - around half of the 26.4 million homes in England and Wales.

With over 32,500 employees and operations in at least eight countries, JA Solar reported an operating revenue of USD $10.7 billion (approx. £8.43 billion) in - with a market share of at least 68% in the UK and 23% in Europe.

JA Solar's product range includes high-efficiency PV modules like its DeepBlue 4.0/3.0 series, PV production materials and storage batteries.

1. Tongwei Solar (TW-Solar)

Name Country Year founded Solar manufactured in (GWp) Tongwei Solar Co. Ltd. China 38.1

The largest solar panel manufacturers: FAQs

Who is the largest solar panel manufacturer?

Tongwei Solar (TW-Solar) holds the title of the largest solar panel manufacturer globally and is the only solar panel company on the Fortune Global 500 list. 

With its headquarters in China, TW-Solar is renowned as the largest polycrystalline silicon producer and for its extensive production capacity at 80GWp per year.

Who manufactures solar panels in the UK?

There are a few solar panel companies in the UK, including England-based UKSOL, GB-Sol in South Wales, and Viridian Solar (who produce roof-integrated solar panels). 

However, it's worth noting that many of these manufacturers use overseas factories to be able to offer competitive prices to consumers. 

Who are the best manufacturers of solar panels?

The top global solar panel manufacturers, based on their scale, include companies such as TW-Solar, JA Solar, AIKO, and others - these manufacturers ship a large number of solar products around the world each year.

Ultimately, the "best" manufacturer for your solar project depends on whether their products suit your budget, efficiency needs and lifestyle.

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Written byMelody Abeni

Based in London, Melody is a specialist green technology writer who has been covering sustainability, climate action and ESG for the past five years, after gathering operational experience in green investing and financial services. She has written for various industry publications, including renewable technology advisor The Eco Experts, and she holds a Master&#;s degree in law from Birkbeck University.

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