[SMM PV News] Astronergy and JA Solar end global patent disputes with cross-licensing deal

Published: Dec 2, 2025 09:23

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Chinese solar firms Astronergy and JA Solar have settled their global TOPCon technology patent disputes, terminating all ongoing litigation (including in Europe) and agreeing to a cross-licensing deal for their respective TOPCon patents, with a commitment to avoid future lawsuits over the same patent families.

The conflict began in July 2024, when JA Solar sued Astronergy in the Unified Patent Court (UPC) over two European TOPCon patents (acquired from LG Electronics). A key win for Astronergy came in October 2025, when the European Patent Office (EPO) fully revoked one patent; the other faced ongoing validity challenges. High litigation costs and industry shifts drove the settlement.

This marks the second major PV IP truce among Chinese manufacturers in three months (following Longi-JinkoSolar in September). The shift toward cooperation reflects the sector’s post-price-war reality: overcapacity, shrinking margins, and a surge in TOPCon-related lawsuits. Firms now prioritize preserving cash, accelerating R&D, and securing Western market access over litigation.

This deal will reduce commercial risk for European customers (amid UPC’s EU-wide injunction powers) and avoids slowing the global transition to N-type TOPCon tech, that accounts for 70% of new solar capacity. Cross-licensing will also cut redundant R&D, freeing resources for next-gen technologies like hybrid TOPCon-BC and perovskite-silicon tandems. Both firms emphasized commitment to innovation and customer value.

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