SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Shipping and handling costs, Research and development (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Research and development expenses	$ 100,844	$ 69,822	$ 58,407
Shipping and Handling \| CSI Solar Segment
Selling and distribution expenses	$ 237,947	$ 453,865	$ 316,358

The aggregate costs incurred (1) in a planned search or critical investigation aimed at discovery of new knowledge with the hope that such knowledge will be useful in developing a new product or service, a new process or technique, or in bringing about a significant improvement to an existing product or process; or (2) to translate research findings or other knowledge into a plan or design for a new product or process or for a significant improvement to an existing product or process whether intended for sale or the entity's use, during the reporting period charged to research and development projects, including the costs of developing computer software up to the point in time of achieving technological feasibility, and costs allocated in accounting for a business combination to in-process projects deemed to have no alternative future use.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 730
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482916/730-10-50-1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 912
-SubTopic 730
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482517/912-730-25-1

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 985
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481283/985-20-50-1

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