The American solar panel manufacturer has sent letters to Longi, Trina Solar, Jinko Solar, JA Solar and Canadian Solar saying the companies are infringing on its patents.
The American solar panel manufacturer First Solar makes an appearance Q3 profit Call told analysts that it has sent letters through its lawyers to major solar energy manufacturers, warning that its patents are being infringed.
“With respect to intellectual property, we recently sent notice letters to Tier 1 solar manufacturers that we believe are infringing on First Solar’s TOPCon patent portfolio,” said Mark Widmar, CEO of First Solar.
The letters are addressed to the major global solar panel manufacturers Longi, Trina Solar, Jinko Solar, JA Solar and Canadian Solar. A number of leading manufacturers assert patent-related claims against each other, many of which are related TOPCon solar cell technology.
First Solar has a TOPCon patent portfolio through its acquisition of TetraSun in 2013. The company’s TOPCon portfolio includes patents and patent applications in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates, with patent terms extending to 2030.
The company has started investigating its competitors for alleged patent infringement. Following initial investigations, the company said it believes it has valid and enforceable patents related to TOPCon.
First Solar’s warning letter to its competitors alleged that the companies are using First Solar TOPCon patents without a license.
“We believe that the IP-based uncertainty surrounding the freedom of crystalline silicon manufacturers to produce and sell TOPCon solar products and the potential complications for a PV project using potentially infringing solar cells should be taken into consideration by developers, project owners and PPA buyers. as well as parties that finance debts and taxes,” said Widmar.
“Additionally, we believe that the current intellectual property landscape, especially as it relates to TOPCon’s cell technology, underlines one of First Solar’s key competitive differentiators by delivering a unique, proprietary, homegrown cadmium telluride semiconductor technology, in unlike the highly commoditized crystalline silicon modules,” he concluded.
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