Hanwha Q CELLS Files Patent Infringement Lawsuits in Germany and France

Lawsuit Against Chinese Astronergy
"Will Take All Measures Including Lawsuits If Intellectual Property Rights Are Infringed"

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] Hanwha Q CELLS has recently filed a patent infringement lawsuit against a Chinese company.

Hanwha Q CELLS announced on the 30th that it filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Chinese company Astronergy in Germany on the 12th, regarding technology that improves the efficiency of solar cells.

Hanwha Q CELLS had already filed patent infringement lawsuits in March last year against Chinese companies JinkoSolar, LONGi Solar, and REC to protect the same patented technology. Regarding this infringement lawsuit, the D?sseldorf Regional Court ruled in favor of Hanwha Q CELLS in the first trial in June last year. Depending on the outcome of the German lawsuit, the defendants are prohibited from importing and selling the infringing products in Germany and are also obligated to recall infringing products distributed after January 30 of last year.

The patented technology involved in Hanwha Q CELLS' lawsuit forms a passivation layer on the rear side of the solar cell, reflecting light that passes through the solar cell back into the cell to increase efficiency. This patent relates to a technology that reliably forms a film consisting of a first layer made of aluminum oxide and a second layer composed of another component containing hydrogen on solar cells with a thickness of 180 to 200 micrometers, enabling mass production of high-efficiency solar cells.

Jung Ji-won, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Hanwha Q CELLS, stated, "Through this lawsuit, we want to remind the significance of investment and effort in research and development, promote healthy research competition, and ultimately contribute to the advancement of the solar industry and technology."

Meanwhile, on March 19, Hanwha Q CELLS also filed a patent infringement lawsuit in France against Chinese company L and its French distributor to protect the same patented technology. A Hanwha Q CELLS official said, "It is difficult to disclose details of the French lawsuit from a legal perspective," and added, "If Hanwha Q CELLS' intellectual property rights are infringed, we will continue to take all necessary measures, including direct lawsuits, in other regions as well."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.