Chinese-Canadian solar module manufacturer Canadian Solar announced a “decisive victory” in the patent litigation proceedings against Singapore-based competitor Maxeon.
According to Canadian Solar, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has ruled in its favor, stating that “all claims asserted by Maxeon against Canadian Solar relating to alleged infringement of patents at issue in the federal court litigation are invalid.”
“The final decision issued by the USPTO once again affirms that Canadian Solar's technology and legal teams have always respected and placed great importance on protecting both our own and our peers' intellectual property. At the same time, we firmly oppose the misuse or weaponization of patents—particularly those lacking patentability or practical value—which can distort competition and impede genuine innovation,” said Canadian Solar president Colin Parkin, without providing further details on the matter.
“Maxeon is currently evaluating this USPTO ruling and the option to appeal in accordance with applicable procedures,” a spokesperson from Maxeon told pv magazine. “We believe we have credible legal grounds to seek reversal of the decision, and of note is the fact that the USPTO's ruling upheld the validity of one of our TOPCon patent claims. Maxeon will continue to defend our intellectual property rights across our broad portfolio of solar IP and we do not expect this development to change the company’s long term strategy.”
Maxeon had filed the patent infringement lawsuit against Canadian Solar in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas in March 2024. The case involved an unspecified TOPCon solar cell technology.
Maxeon previously sued Canadian Solar in Japan for patent infringement in 2020. In the lawsuit, Maxeon alleged that Canadian Solar Japan infringed upon its Japan Patent No. JP6642841B2, which is related to its shingled solar modules. The two companies reached a settlement agreement in April 2022.
Canadian Solar has faced similar patent claims in the United States. PV manufacturer Solaria filed three different patent infringement claims against the company, also related to the process of separating photovoltaic strips from solar cells for use in shingled modules.
Meanwhile, in November 2023, Maxeon also sued Chinese competitor Aiko Solar Energy, as well as wholesaler Memedo GmbH, for alleged patent infringement regarding a specific design related to the architecture of back contact solar cells. In May 2025, a Dutch court rejected Maxeon's request for a preliminary injunction, and in December 2025, Maxeon expanded the legal action to Aiko and its distributors in Germany.
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