JinkoSolar responds to Hanwha Q CELLS’ passivation patent infringement claim

March 6, 2019
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
JinkoSolar said that its preliminary analysis of the alleged infringement of US patents were “without technical or legal merit. JinkoSolar, therefore, categorically refutes Hanwha's allegations.” The company added that it was considering a legal petition to seek making the patents invalid. Image: Hanwha Q CELLS

Leading ‘Solar Module Super League’ (SMSL) member JinkoSolar has been the first to respond to Hanwha Q CELLS patent legal action filed in the US and Germany, specifically against JinkoSolar, LONGi Solar and REC Group.

JinkoSolar said that its preliminary analysis of the alleged infringement of US patents were “without technical or legal merit. JinkoSolar, therefore, categorically refutes Hanwha's allegations.”
The company added that it was considering a legal petition to make the patents invalid.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

A key patent in the case is US 9,893,215 B2, which was issued to Hanwha Q CELLS and SolarWorld Industries in February 2018, although the original [215] patent stems from 2010.

The [215] patent relates to solar cell surface passivation widely used in PERC (Passivated Emitter Rear Cell) technology as well as bifacial cells.

Specifically, the patent describes a solar cell structure, which incoprates the processes used in depositing both a thin layer of aluminium oxide and a second dielectric layer (other materials are also described) that can contain hydrogen via atomic layer deposition (ALD) and followed by a thicker layer of silicon oxide, which is deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD). 

The process reduces recombination of charge carriers in the cell, boosting conversion efficiency, due to better surface passivation when ALD and PECVD are used, rather than one or the other deposition process. However, Hanwha Q CELLS is focusing its infringement cases on the cell structure in relation to nanometre thickness of the passivation layers within the [215] patent.

Hanwha Q CELLS is also seeking an order to stop JinkoSolar, LONGi Solar and REC Group from importing, marketing, and selling the infringing products in Germany and the US.
 
Responses from LONGi Solar and REC Group are expected shortly.

21 October 2025
New York, USA
Returning for its 12th edition, Solar and Storage Finance USA Summit remains the annual event where decision-makers at the forefront of solar and storage projects across the United States and capital converge. Featuring the most active solar and storage transactors, join us for a packed two-days of deal-making, learning and networking.
16 June 2026
Napa, USA
PV Tech has been running PV ModuleTech Conferences since 2017. PV ModuleTech USA, on 16-17 June 2026, will be our fifth PV ModulelTech conference dedicated to the U.S. utility scale solar sector. The event will gather the key stakeholders from solar developers, solar asset owners and investors, PV manufacturing, policy-making and and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out the PV module supply channels to the U.S. out to 2027 and beyond.

Read Next

Premium
October 14, 2025
OCI Holdings’ decision this week to buy a Vietnamese solar wafer facility to supply the US solar cell manufacturing industry makes clear the biggest vulnerability facing the sector today.
October 13, 2025
Korean chemical production firm OCI Holdings has acquired a 65% stake in a Vietnamese solar wafer production plant, intending to export solar wafers to the US.
October 13, 2025
US solar manufacturer T1 Energy has acquired a minority stake in fellow US-based solar cell producer Talon PV.
October 10, 2025
US solar recycling firm OnePlanet has achieved the R2v3 certification from electronics sustainability non-profit SERI, which represents the “highest standards of traceability”.
October 9, 2025
Germany has awarded contracts to 490MW of solar-plus-storage projects in its latest “innovation” auction for co-located renewables.
October 9, 2025
The retroactive collection of duties on historical solar imports to the US has been temporarily paused pending the outcome of an appeal.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK