JinkoSolar wins Hanwha Q Cells patent case in US

The US International Trade Commission (ITC) has made a final ruling that the products of JinkoSolar (NYSE:JKS) do not infringe a patent asserted by South Korean competitor Hanwha Q Cells.

The commission’s final determination was issued on June 3, JinkoSolar announced today.

The Chinese solar module maker and two other sector players, namely LONGi Solar and REC Group, were accused earlier this year of infringing one of Hanwha Q Cells’ US patents, which led to an ITC investigation. More specifically, the Korean company claimed that JinkoSolar had unlawfully incorporated its patented passivation technology into solar cells being imported and sold in the US.

"From the start, we have believed that the case brought by Hanwha was legally and technically meritless and a transparent attempt to disrupt innovation and slow our momentum. The ALJ's [administrative law judge’s] decision confirms that Hanwha should never have brought this case in the first place,” said Kangping Chen, CEO of JinkoSolar.

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