Solaria Corp., a company that designs, develops and manufactures crystalline solar modules, has filed additional claims against Canadian Solar with the International Trade Commission (ITC).
“Solaria has over 250 patents and has invested more than $200 million in developing our advanced solar panel technology,” says Suvi Sharma, director and founder of Solaria. “Despite our pending case, Canadian Solar continues to willfully misappropriate Solaria’s intellectual property. It’s unfair that an infringing company can swoop in, as Canadian Solar has done here, use our patented inventions and threaten jobs. We filed the ITC complaint because Canadian Solar deems itself above the law, and its anti-competitive behavior must be remedied.”
According to Solaria’s complaint, Canadian Solar’s HiDM shingled modules infringe Solaria’s U.S. patents that cover tiled or shingled solar modules, as well as Solaria’s patented process for separating photovoltaic (PV) strips from solar cells for use in such modules. Solaria asserts that it introduced its high-efficiency, high-density module (HDM) technology to Canadian Solar when representatives of Canadian Solar evaluated Solaria’s next-generation shingling technology for a potential licensing deal. Shortly thereafter, Canadian Solar launched its HiDM shingled modules and began advertising and selling them in the U.S. Solaria is seeking an exclusion order that would prevent Canadian Solar from importing infringing products into the U.S.
The ITC is expected to review the matter and begin an investigation within 30 days. If the ITC’s investigation finds that the accused Canadian Solar products infringe Solaria’s patents, it will issue an exclusion order, which will prevent Canadian Solar from importing and selling shingled modules in the U.S. and from installing or servicing the infringing imported shingled modules.
Solaria’s ITC complaint filed on Sept. 15, can be read here.