Trina Solar and Hanwha Q Cells settle patent dispute

Chinese solar company Trina Solar Co, Ltd. and Hanwha Q Cells Co Ltd, part of Korea’s Hanwha Group and represented by the group’s Hanwha Solutions division, have reached a patent licensing and transfer agreement, settling a dispute that has been ongoing for about three years. According to a statement from Trina Solar, the agreement allows the two companies »to use each other’s solar patents and respectively drop all pending cases.«
Hanwha Solutions was most recently successful against Trina Solar last December in a lawsuit filed in the Düsseldorf, Germany Regional Court over the passivation technology developed for its »Q.Antum« cells. The competitor had in turn filed suit in China – where Hanwha also has large production facilities. Hanwha Q Cells is also in litigation with other companies in several countries over patent infringements.
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