E-STORAGE's KuBank 3.0 for C&I Applications Successfully Passes Large-Scale Fire Testing

KITCHENER, ON, Aug. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Canadian Solar Inc. (the "Company" or "Canadian Solar") (NASDAQ: CSIQ) today announced that e-STORAGE, its energy storage solutions business, has successfully completed Large-Scale Fire Testing (LSFT) for its KuBank 3.0 commercial and industrial (C&I) energy storage system under the latest UL 9540A:2026 standard, becoming the industry's first to pass this rigorous large-scale fire test.

KuBank 3.0 delivers up to 940 kWh of energy capacity in a single liquid-cooled cabinet. Built with advanced 314 Ah LFP battery cells, it supports flexible 400V, 690V, and 800V architectures, offers integrated load connection, enables seamless transitions between grid-connected and islanded operation, and holds comprehensive international certifications.

The LSFT is a rigorous system-level safety evaluation designed to assess how an energy storage system behaves under extreme fire conditions, including whether fire can be contained within the tested unit and prevented from propagating to adjacent systems. For customers, this validation is critical because it provides third-party visibility into fire safety performance, supports permitting and project approval processes, and helps reduce deployment risk in C&I environments.

Conducted under highly demanding conditions, the test evaluated a fully charged 940 kWh system with thermal runaway intentionally initiated and all fire suppression systems disabled. During the approximately four-hour fire event, no explosion occurred, the cabinet structure remained intact, and no fire propagation was observed in neighboring units. KuBank 3.0 passed the test on its first attempt without corrective actions, validating its advanced safety performance under the latest UL 9540A:2026 standard. The test was witnessed and independently verified by both TÜV Rheinland, the testing agency, and Energy Safety Response Group (ESRG), a fire safety consultant.

Designed with an independent physical compartment architecture, high-strength fire-resistant construction, and advanced thermal insulation materials, KuBank 3.0 enhances fire safety performance at the system level. Its intelligent liquid-cooling system maintains battery temperatures within the optimal operating range with a temperature deviation of ≤3°C, while its multi-layer active safety architecture integrates zone isolation, early thermal runaway monitoring, multi-stage fire detection, and protection technologies to support safe and reliable operation.

Jeff Roy, President of e-STORAGE, said, "Passing this large-scale fire test on the first attempt demonstrates the strength of KuBank 3.0's safety-first design. As safety standards continue to evolve, customers need energy storage solutions that have been validated under the most demanding real-world conditions. This achievement provides greater confidence in the safe deployment of KuBank 3.0 across C&I applications."

KuBank 3.0 has entered mass production and is now available to customers worldwide.

About TÜV Rheinland

As a leading global testing and certification body, TÜV Rheinland provides technical services that support the green energy transition. With a focus on reliability, innovation, and sustainability, TÜV Rheinland helps the industry address technical challenges and establish high-quality standards.

About Energy Storage Response Group (ESRG)

ESRG is a U.S.-based consulting firm specializing in battery energy storage system (BESS) safety, fire protection, and regulatory compliance. Backed by experienced fire service professionals and engineers, ESRG provides technical consulting, risk assessment, permitting support, and emergency response planning, helping manufacturers, developers, utilities, and regulators deploy energy storage systems safely and in compliance with industry standards.

About Canadian Solar Inc.

Canadian Solar is one of the world's largest solar technology and renewable energy companies. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Kitchener, Ontario, the Company is a leading manufacturer of solar photovoltaic modules; provider of solar energy and battery energy storage solutions; and developer, owner, and operator of utility-scale solar power and battery energy storage projects. Over the past 25 years, Canadian Solar has successfully delivered nearly 177 GW of premium-quality, solar photovoltaic modules to customers across the world. Through its subsidiary e-STORAGE, Canadian Solar had shipped over 20 GWh of battery energy storage solutions to global markets as of March 31, 2026, and had a $3.5 billion contracted backlog as of May 8, 2026. Since entering the project development business in 2010, Canadian Solar has developed, built, and connected approximately 12.2 GWp of solar power projects and 6.4 GWh of battery energy storage projects globally. Its geographically diversified project development pipeline includes 24 GWp of solar and 81 GWh of battery energy storage capacity in various stages of development. Canadian Solar is one of the most bankable companies in the solar and renewable energy industry, having been publicly listed on the NASDAQ since 2006. For additional information about the Company, follow Canadian Solar on LinkedIn or visit www.canadiansolar.com.

About e-STORAGE

e-STORAGE is a subsidiary of Canadian Solar and a leading company specializing in designing, manufacturing, and integrating battery energy storage systems for utility-scale applications. e-STORAGE offers proprietary battery energy storage systems (BESS) spanning battery cells, battery PACKs, power conversion systems (PCS), energy management systems (EMS) and system integration. It also provides comprehensive EPC services and full-lifecycle station operation and asset management, helping customers improve grid operations across the project lifecycle. For more info, please refer to the Media&PR section of www.csestorage.com and follow our LinkedIn page.

Safe Harbor/Forward-Looking Statements 

Certain statements in this press release, including those regarding the Company's expected future shipment volumes, revenues, gross margins, and project sales are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These statements are made under the "Safe Harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by such terms as "may", "will", "expect", "anticipate", "future", "ongoing", "continue", "intend", "plan", "potential", "prospect", "guidance", "believe", "estimate", "is/are likely to" or similar expressions, the negative of these terms, or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, our expectations regarding global electricity demand and the adoption of solar and battery energy storage technologies; our growth strategies, future business performance, and financial condition; our transition to a long-term owner and operator of clean energy assets and expansion of project pipelines; our ability to monetize project portfolios, manage supply chain fluctuations, and respond to economic factors such as inflation and interest rates; our outlook on government incentives, trade measures, regulatory developments, and geopolitical risks; our expectations for project timelines, costs, and returns; competitive dynamics in solar and storage markets; our ability to execute supply chain, manufacturing, and operational initiatives; access to capital, debt obligations, and covenant compliance; relationships with key suppliers and customers; technological advancement and product quality; and risks related to intellectual property, litigation, and compliance with environmental and sustainability regulations. Other risks were described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 20-F filed on April 10, 2026. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee future results, level of activity, performance, or achievements. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All information provided in this press release is as of today's date, unless otherwise stated, and Canadian Solar undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

Canadian Solar Inc. Investor Relations Contact
Wina Huang
Investor Relations
Canadian Solar Inc.
[email protected]

SOURCE Canadian Solar Inc.