Chinese PV module manufacturer JinkoSolar has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against competitor VSUN, a unit of Japan’s Fujisolar, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
JinkoSolar said it is suing VSUN and its U.S. subsidiaries, but did not disclose the patent involved in the dispute.
The company claims to have amassed more than 2,800 patents, including a significant portfolio of 462 patents related to n-type tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) technology. The company said this makes it one of the industry leaders in TOPCon patents, but did not provide additional details on the specifics of its patent holdings.
In January 2024, Chinese manufacturer n-type TOPCon technology patents were granted to a number of unnamed solar module companies. Undisclosed PV manufacturers may license specific patented TOPCon technologies from JinkoSolar for an undisclosed fee. Although the company claimed ownership of 330 TOPCon technology patents at the time, it provided no additional details about the fees or the specific products.
“This IP transaction between JinkoSolar and licensee is a strategic win-win move by both companies, potentially strengthening the two companies’ respective positions in the markets,” JinkoSolar said in a statement in early January.
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