Maxeon Solar Technologies has recently filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Canadian Solar in the Eastern District of Texas. The lawsuit alleges that Canadian Solar has infringed on Maxeon’s patents related to its tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar cell technology.
Maxeon states that its innovations are protected by a global patent portfolio, and it holds numerous patents related to TOPCon technology, with some dating back to the early 2000s. According to Marc Robinson, associate general counsel at Maxeon, the company has a strong history of developing solar cell technology and has been at the forefront of developing and commercializing tunnel oxide passivated contacts. He mentions that Maxeon’s scientists and engineers were working on implementing TOPCon technology into both back contact and front contact solar cells years before the term “TOPCon” became widely used in the industry.
This lawsuit marks Maxeon’s first effort to enforce its patent rights in the United States, and the company plans to continue vigorously protecting its patents in the US and other markets. The lawsuit is seeking damages for past infringement and an injunction to prevent further infringement by Canadian Solar.