Canadian Solar grows business in US

Canadian Solar in the USCanadian Solar’s recent announcement of new projects and a deeper partnership with US-based groSolar is part of the manufacturer’s strategic growth in the U.S. market.

Canadian Solar already has more than 200 megawatts of utility-scale solar projects installed in the United States, Canadian Solar US general manager Alan King wrote in an email.

The company is growing globally and developing significant projects in the US and arund the world as its utility-scale business becomes more of a focus.

Canadian Solar announced last month that it is supplying 8 megawatts of solar panels to groSolar for projects on the East Coast, including a 6-meggawatt solar plant under construction in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Another 1.5 megawatts will be used in a system at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Penn.

Canadian Solar first partnered with groSolar in 2009, King said.

“groSolar offered Canadian Solar installation and distribution potential for our product across the US,” King said. “They have an excellent reputation for quality workmanship and a strong customer base. The fact that they are based in the east coast also gives them a unique insight into how this important geographic segment will develop.”

The 8 megawatts announced in August is just the tip of the iceberg for Canadian’s opportunity in the US, King said the company has several other utility-scale projects underway and many more in the pipeline for development in the US.

“We expect to significantly increase our utility scale development in the US as our project business becomes an increasingly larger percentage of our business,” King said. “Geographically, we already have projects either planned or under construction in 10 US states and a number of countries.”

The manufacturer is growing globally and forging key relationships with solar developers like groSolar all over.

“Our growth means that relationships like the one we have with groSolar will continue to evolve and become part of our global ‘virtual vertical integration’ strategy,” King said.