Trina Solar Expands into Canada, Signs Up Local Supply Chain Partner

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China’s Trina Solar is expanding in North America, entering the Canadian solar photovoltaic (PV) market with the opening of an Ontario-based sales and development office and a partnership with Silfab Ontario that will enable Trina to offer locally manufactured solar panels in the Canadian market, the company announced today.

The Ontario government’s enactment of a renewable energy feed-in tariff (FiT) has made the province the focal point for solar, wind and renewable energy development in Canada. More than 5,600 MW of wind power capacity alone is expected to be installed in Ontario by 2018. That’s been a boon to the economy and job creation in the province, as well as for the environment.

 
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Canada’s Solar Energy Focal Point: Ontario

Ontario rates at the top of the list for North America in terms of its market for solar energy, as well. Ontario is the second-largest solar energy market on the continent, ranking only behind California, Trina noted in its press release.

Trina Solar sees the Canadian market as an opportunity to expand our sales efforts and create local jobs by providing clean energy that fights global warming,” said Mark Paddison, Trina Solar’s newly appointed company representative.

“We foresee strong growth for the Canadian industry that could reach 1GW by 2015. We look forward to participating more directly in the growth of the industry and to collaborating with our Canadian partners to bring solar PV to the next level of adoption and popularity.”

In addition to opening its sales and development office, Canada subsidiary Trina Solar Energy Development Pte. Ltd. has signed an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) partnership to do the final assembly work that will put silicon solar PV modules from neighboring, Mississauga-based Silfab on the Canadian market under Trina’s brand name.

As a certified Trina supply chain partner, output from Silfab is expected to meet demand for Trina solar panels in Canada, according to the company.

Having rapidly come to dominate the global market for silicon solar PV cells and panels, Trina and other Chinese solar power companies have embarked on ambitious international expansion plans, both as a means to expand their businesses and avoiding actual and potential import tariffs. The US Commerce Dept. and International Trade Commission have issued preliminary tariff penalties on Chinese silicon solar cell and panel imports, having determined that Chinese silicon solar PV manufacturers have been dumping solar PV cells and modules in the US and the Chinese government has been providing subsidies prohibited by WTO rules. A final determination on the tariff duties is expected in October.

Trina has recently garnered recognition for its sustainable practices, corporate viability, and field performance, the company points out. It took top honors among solar PV panel manufacturers in the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition’s annual global review of sustainable manufacturing practices and was also ranked first among its peers in terms of its financial outlook in PRTM’s Sustainable Growth Index Field Performance. The California Energy Commissions ranked Trina’s solar PV panels first on its PTC/STC ratio of real-world performance.

Photo Credit: Trina Solar


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