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					</table>As the solar industry transitions from Mono PERC to TOPCon technology and countries emphasize domestic manufacturing, we have seen a surge in intellectual property disputes related to TOPCon solar technology in recent months, particularly in China, Europe, and the U.S.
TOPCon (tunnel oxide passivated contact) technology is an advanced solar cell architecture that has gained popularity rapidly because it enhances energy yield and efficiency compared to Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell (PERC) technology.
The increasing adoption of TOPCon technology has also given rise to patent infringement claims by TOPCon cell manufacturers.
Recently, the European Patent Office (<a href="https://www.epo.org/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EPO</a>) confirmed the validity of <a href="https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&amp;&amp;p=300bcb0569a80a48JmltdHM9MTcyOTcyODAwMCZpZ3VpZD0yNWI2Mzg0My1hMWM3LTZlZWQtMjgyOC0yYWVmYTA3NTZmZGImaW5zaWQ9NTIwNw&amp;ptn=3&amp;ver=2&amp;hsh=3&amp;fclid=25b63843-a1c7-6eed-2828-2aefa0756fdb&amp;psq=ja+solar&amp;u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuamFzb2xhci5jb20vaHRtbC9lbi8&amp;ntb=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JA Solar&#8217;</a>s patents concerning TOPCon solar cell technology, strengthening its position in its ongoing litigation against Astronergy, another Chinese solar manufacturer.
JA Solar filed two lawsuits in the European Unified Patent Court. The first patent relates to tunneling silicon oxide layers and the doped polysilicon layer used on the back surface of TOPCon solar cells. JA Solar claims this patent is enforceable until 2034 across several European countries, including Germany, the UK, and France.
The second patent relates to the design of the electrodes and lead structures used in these products has an expiry date of 2035, according to JA Solar.
Several similar lawsuits were filed earlier this year. In April, Maxeon Solar Technologies initiated three patent infringement lawsuits related to its TOPCon technology. Filed in the Eastern District of Texas, these lawsuits target Hanwha Q CELLS, Canadian Solar, and REC Solar Holdings and allege unauthorized use of its patents.
U.S.-based First Solar has also been considering legal action against competitors found to be infringing its patents acquired through its 2013 purchase of TetraSun. The patents, covering proprietary cell architecture and manufacturing processes, are valid in various countries, including the U.S., Canada, and Japan, with expiration dates extending to 2030.
More recently, Chinese module manufacturer Trina Solar filed a patent infringement lawsuit against three U.S. subsidiaries of Canadian Solar in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. The lawsuit claims that Canadian Solar&#8217;s subsidiaries violated two of Trina’s U.S. patents pertaining to TOPCon technology. Canadian Solar has dismissed the lawsuit as frivolous.
Trina Solar has also lodged a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission against two other companies – China-headquartered Runergy and India-based Adani Green Energy, alleging that they have imported and sold products in the U.S. that infringe on Trina&#8217;s TOPCon patents. Trina is seeking a limited exclusion order and cease-and-desist orders to halt the import of these products.
In a counter move, Runergy has initiated legal proceedings at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to challenge the validity of two of Trina Solar&#8217;s patents, claiming they are unpatentable. Runergy argues that these patents, purchased by Trina in February 2024, attempt to cover technology already disclosed in a 2013 publication by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy.
Indian solar module manufacturers have also <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/topcon-module-trumps-hjt-indian-solar-market" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leaned</a> towards TOPCon module technology over its other mainstream rival HJT (Heterojunction) because the former performs better in terms of degradation rate and temperature coefficient. However, companies need to exercise caution and make sure intellectual properties are not infringed in a rapidly evolving chaotic market.
JA Solar and Trina Solar were among the top solar module suppliers in the calendar year 2023, according to Mercom’s <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/product/mercoms-india-solar-market-leaderboard-2024-market-shares-and-profiles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India Solar Market Leaderboard 2024</a>.

Patent Disputes Soar Amid Solar Industry’s Shift from Mono PERC to TOPCon

Here are some noteworthy cleantech announcements of the day from around the world:
China has <a href="http://www.nea.gov.cn/2020-11/16/c_139519900.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">installed</a> 1.3 GW of residential solar capacity in October 2020, according to the latest data from the National Energy Administration. Based on the information submitted by 30 provinces, the newly added 1.3 GW capacity is included in the overall national subsidy allocation for 6.61 GW. The province of Shandong recorded the highest installation at 567 MW in October 2020.
Total Eren has <a href="https://www.total-eren.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Total-Eren-enters-Philippines-renewable-energy-market.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">joined</a> hands with Mabalacat Solar Philippines and Sindicatum Renewable Energy to build 135 MW of utility-scale solar projects in Luzon, Philippines. The 60 MW Tarlac solar project will reach commercial operation in Q1 2021, while the 75 MW Zambales solar project is expected to begin its commercial operation in Q4 2021. Once completed, these projects will produce together over 180 GWh of clean energy annually.
Hanwha Q CELLS <a href="http://koreabizwire.com/hanwha-q-cells-to-build-worlds-largest-floating-solar-power-plant/174391" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">announced</a> that it would develop a 41 MW floating solar power project at Hapcheon dam in Hapcheon, South Korea. The company received the order to develop a floating solar project from Korea Water Resources Corporation in August 2020. It received the final approval for the project on November 4, 2020. It is expected to start the construction of the project before the end of the year. The project will generate enough clean energy to satisfy the electricity needs of 60,000 households annually.
Zinc8 Energy Solutions <a href="https://www.zinc8energy.com/investors/press-releases/2020/59-zinc8-energy-solutions-announces-update-to-commercialization-milestone-agreement-for-75-house-in-surrey-british-columbia" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said</a> the company is set to deliver its zinc-energy storage to a low-energy-footprint estate in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, on time by December 21, 2020. The system will be integrated with an onsite solar array to provide the main source of power to the estate. The energy storage system&#8217;s capacity to be installed by Zinc8 is configured to be 20 kW and 80 kWh, but it can be modified to meet any change in demand. The modular storage system is designed to deliver power in the range of 20 kW to 1 MW or more and energy in the range of 160 kWh to 8 MWh or more.
Aviva, with support from the Scottish Government, has <a href="https://www.aviva.com/newsroom/news-releases/2020/11/aviva-opens-one-of-the-uks-largest-solar-initiatives/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">launched</a> one of the UK&#8217;s largest combined solar carports and energy storage facilities at its Perth office. The carport covers 342 car park spaces and provides 50 electric vehicle charging stations. The facility will be powered by Tesla Powerpack technology and is expected to contribute to a combined annual carbon emission of nearly 400 tons, equivalent to powering over 500 homes&#8217; electricity for one year.
Enphase Energy, a global supplier of inverter-based solar-plus-storage systems, has <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/11/16/2127260/0/en/Enphase-Energy-Joins-Forces-with-MSpectrum-to-Provide-Solar-Solutions-in-the-Philippines.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">entered</a> into an agreement with MSpectrum to distribute Enphase products to residential and commercial installers across the Philippines. The Enphase IQ 7 family of microinverters is expected to be available through MSpectrum in the first quarter of 2021.
Maxeon Solar Technologies <a href="https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/maxeon-solar-technologies-brings-premium-commercial-solar-to-the-headquarters-of-carioca-spa-in-italy-825835986.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said</a> its solar panels are powering the headquarters of Carioca SpA, located in the northwest of Italy. The company installed 500 kW of photovoltaic arrays covering a rooftop area of around 2,574 square meters. The installation is expected to generate around 524 MWh of clean electricity while reducing 278,224 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
Here is our <a href="https://mercomindia.com/daily-news-wrap-up-edf-renewables/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">previous</a> daily news wrap-up.
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Image credit: Unsplash

Daily News Wrap-Up: China Adds 1.3 GW of Residential Solar Capacity in October 2020

<a href="https://www.dynapower.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dynapower</a>, an energy storage solutions provider, has entered into an agreement with <a href="http://raychemrpg.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Raychem RPG</a> to bring its energy storage inverter technology and know-how to India and other SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) countries. The two companies have signed a technology transfer and licencing agreement for the same.
Raychem RPG is a joint venture between TE Connectivity and RPG Enterprises, India. The company has been working in the field of grid connection and insulation and according to the company portfolio, RPG Enterprises has an annual revenue of $3.5 billion.
Dynapower, a United States-based company, has a range of products from energy storage inverters, DC-DC Converters, and fully-integrated energy storage systems and supplied over 400 MW of its systems across the world.
The two companies have also announced the commissioning of a 1 MW microgrid at the Central Electronics Limited (CEL) facility in Sahibabad, Uttar Pradesh. It is India’s first microgrid to feature Dynapower’s <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=UJvbt7GuSUcDEWN-fMcX39XXprdKK6wbLDnAa2R0uQMYk0UExYDRs_Q2EKdWjdyIs9R7tuZS1mfskIqiQxbXZYcUEIFQrWD8PQSbU3j3Ic6ZsMxeOH5iOqle5e-OJGdjwPq3KJPc1Tl3KV2i6ITiT_UIXQ_Q3rBOWudKaOCLDZH32pL1ewom65WfX_NStAWxZUMnYXiXj5Ei8wFjIu7wxQ==" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CPS-1000</a> inverter.
Central Electronics Limited (CEL) manufactures solar-photovoltaic (SPV) cells, modules, and systems and the microgrid will help reduce its electricity bill. Microgrid system can work by combining solar and diesel gensets or by energy storage connected to the main grid. It is a locally controllable power system that features Dynapower’s patented dynamic transfer technology.
In <a href="https://mercomindia.com/abb-commissions-indias-first-industrial-solar-microgrid/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">April 2018</a>, Mercom also reported that <a href="http://new.abb.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABB</a>, a Swedish-Swiss multinational corporation, announced the successful commissioning of the country’s first industrial solar microgrid at its Vadodara manufacturing facility, located in the western state of Gujarat.
India’s renewable energy sector needs a strong backbone in the form of a robust <a href="https://mercomindia.com/energy-storage-industry-buoyant/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">energy storage industry</a> in order to sustain its growth trajectory. Off-grid solar is the solution to secure reliable electricity for vast portions of the country, and both multinationals and the government are supporting the off-grid solar segment through various policies and funding.
Mercom previously <a href="https://mercomindia.com/63-micro-grids-installed-in-india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> about the Indian government’s seriousness in pursuing the advancement of solar microgrids in the country. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (<a href="http://www.mnre.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MNRE</a>) has financially assisted the installations of microgrids in rural areas where it has provided financial support up to 30 percent of the cost of micro and mini grids systems for installation.
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/india-first-grid-scale-energy-storage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mercom also reported</a> recently about India’s first utility-scale energy storage system being constructed by <a href="http://www.aes-india.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AES India</a> and <a href="https://www.mitsubishicorp.com/jp/en/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mitsubishi Corporation</a> to serve the grid operated by Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd (<a href="http://www.tatapower-ddl.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TPDDL</a>), located in New Delhi’s Rohini area.
Image credit: Dynapower

Dynapower and Raychem Sign Deal to Bring Energy Storage Inverter Technology to India

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