Recently, Maxeon Solar Limited and Tongwei Solar (Hefei) Co., Ltd. reached a global settlement regarding a patent dispute over shingled wafer technology.
This settlement not only demonstrates the high level of professionalism and cooperative attitude displayed by both companies in facing intellectual property disputes but also sends a positive signal to the entire photovoltaic industry—that resolving disputes through friendly negotiation is a feasible and beneficial approach.
It is reported that on June 15, 2023, TCL Zhonghuan issued an announcement stating that it had received a notice from Maxeon. The notice indicated that Tongwei Solar (Hefei) Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Tongwei Solar Co., Ltd., and its subsidiary Tongwei Solar GmbH had used Maxeon’s European patent No. EP3522045B1 (“Shingled Solar Cell Module”) without permission. This patent is Maxeon’s proprietary basic shingled cell module technology used to manufacture Performance modules.
In response, Maxeon’s subsidiary Maxeon Solar Pte. Ltd. took legal action to protect its intellectual property rights and filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Tongwei Solar (Hefei) Co., Ltd. and Tongwei Solar GmbH at the District Court of Düsseldorf, Germany, asserting its rights.
On June 20 of the same year, Tongwei Solar responded to the incident, stating that there was no evidence to suggest that the company had infringed on Maxeon’s relevant patents. The company will continue to closely monitor the progress of this litigation and has hired local lawyers in Germany to actively respond to the lawsuit and advocate for its legitimate rights and interests according to the law.
