Shawn Qu

From pursuing materials science and physics in Canada in the 1980s, just a few years after China first allowed students to study abroad, to leading one of the world's largest sustainable energy companies, Shawn Qu is far from being a self-professed “boring engineer.” His modest goals in founding Canadian Solar in 2001—providing for the family while working for humanity’s best interests—have since morphed into a $7.6 billion business with subsidiaries in 23 countries addressing the global demand for solar photovoltaic modules and battery energy storage solutions. Under his leadership, the company has delivered over 125 gigawatts (GW) of photovoltaic modules to customers worldwide since it was founded—that’s equivalent to the annual electricity usage of millions of homes in the U.S.

His journey has not been without its challenges. An accident in 2019 during a visit to Canadian Solar’s solar power stations left Qu with a spinal cord injury, but that has not stopped Qu from running the business. (As a person in a wheelchair, Qu said he wants to increase the company’s special needs hires.)

After decades of focusing manufacturing in Asia, Canadian Solar was spurred on by financial incentives from the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, paving the way for its first U.S. factory in Mesquite, Texas, which started production late 2023. But Qu’s company isn’t stopping there: it will open a factory smack dab in the U.S.’ battery belt in Indiana. Having once dreamed that he would “see solar panels on every household,” Qu is now bringing the world closer to that reality.

Correction, Nov. 18

The original version of this story miscalculated the number of homes that could be powered by 125 GW of photovoltaic modules. It is in the millions, not in the thousands.