First Solar Sues JA Solar and AMPS Over Patent Infringement

First Solar filed a patent lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Delaware against Chinese manufacturer JA Solar, its subsidiaries, and American Panel Solutions (AMPS), a subsidiary of Corning Inc.

The company alleges that the defendants infringed on US Patent No. 9,130,074, which covers manufacturing methods for tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) crystalline silicon solar cells. First Solar acquired the patents in question during its 2013 acquisition of TetraSun.

This legal action is part of a broader strategy to protect intellectual property, following similar lawsuits filed by First Solar against other manufacturers including Jinko, Canadian Solar, T1 Energy, and Trina Solar. While the company recently withdrew a Section 337 complaint with the US International Trade Commission, it continues to pursue litigation in district courts.

Jason Dymbort, executive vice president and general counsel of First Solar, stated the lawsuit is an effort to hold the defendants accountable for the unauthorized use of patented technology.