China-based panel maker JinkoSolar says that its competitor VSUN and its related entities in the United States have infringed on one of its patents.

Chinese PV module manufacturer JinkoSolar has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against competitor VSUN, a unit of Japan's Fujisolar, in the US District Court for the Northern District of California.

JinkoSolar said it is suing VSUN and its US affiliates, 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. It said this makes it one of the leaders in the industry for TOPCon patents, but it did not provide additional details on the specifics of its patent holdings.

In January 2024, the Chinese manufacturer granted n-type TOPCon technology patents to a number of undisclosed solar module companies. Undisclosed PV manufacturers can license specific patented TOPCon technologies from JinkoSolar for an undisclosed fee. While the company claimed ownership of 330 TOPCon technology patents at the time, it did not provide 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 respective positions of the two companies in the markets,” JinkoSolar said in a statement in early January.

By pv-magazine.com