US solar manufacturer First Solar has started an investigation into several crystalline-silicon cell solar manufacturers for potential infringement of its patents.
First Solar gained the patents through the acquisition of TetraSun in 2013. The investigation followed First Solar’s announcement of its ownership of patents related to the manufacturing of tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) and c-Si PV cells.
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The patents include issued patents in the US, Canada, Mexico, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan and Australia, with validities extending to 2030. It also includes pending patent applications in the European Union and Japan.
“If infringement is discovered, we intend to challenge the ability of potential infringers to legally manufacture, assemble, and sell infringing TOPCon technology by pursuing enforcement, licensing, and/or other measures to safeguard our rights,” said Jason Dymbort, executive vice president, general counsel and secretary of First Solar.
First Solar did not identify the companies infringing the patents. The company added that it firmly “believes in the value and strength of the patents and plans to conduct a thorough investigation of potentially infringing products”.
Aside from this investigation, First Solar recently opened its new research and development (R&D) centre in Ohio after almost two years of construction. The centre will focus on developing First Solar’s cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film solar cell and module technology alongside prototype tandem products.
First Solar said that the new facility is expected to accelerate its innovation cycles. It had hitherto been using a production line at its Perrysburg facility for R&D efforts which was subject to stoppages and restricted its flexibility. First Solar claimed that the Jim Nolan Centre, named after the company’s former director, is the largest solar R&D facility in the Western Hemisphere.
The facility is part of a roughly US$500 million investment First Solar has made into its R&D infrastructure, including the installation of a perovskite development line at the Perrysburg, Ohio manufacturing facility in the second half of this year.
