RENA has threatened legal action for patent infringement of its patented water cap technology
It believes mainly Chinese suppliers are indulging in the practice for its patent, for which the company acquired a license from SCHMID
The ambit of the exercise may expand to solar cell manufacturers who bought the equipment from such suppliers
Germany-headquartered European wet chemistry process tool manufacturer RENA Technologies GmbH has threatened to take legal action against companies infringing on its water cap patent. It says it is mainly the Chinese suppliers who are directly or indirectly infringing on its patented technology.
It cites US8685864B2 water cap patent in the US, CN102754198B in China, and 3496CHENP2012 in India, for which the German manufacturer says it has received evidence of ‘widespread’ patent infringement from the US and India.
As the name suggests, water cap technology is used to protect the top surface during the single-side etching of solar wafers. This process, it says, enhances cell durability while boosting the yield rate.
It uses this water capping technology, called the RENA Functional Layer (RFL), in its inline InEtchSide 4 + series wet process tool to ensure long bath lifetime, as shared by the company’s Senior R&D Manager for Solar & Battery at TaiyangNews High-Efficiency Solar Technologies 2024 Conference (see RENA: High-Throughput, Cost-Effective Wet Chemistry Solutions).
RENA says it licensed this patent from SCHMID under a cross-licensing agreement, allowing both companies to use it globally.
“These suppliers (mainly Chinese) advertise, build and distribute devices to enable solar cell manufacturers to use the mandatory single-side etching process in PERC and TOPCON solar cell production by means of a water cap without having the required license,” explained RENA.
“Due to the widespread patent infringement, RENA intends to take legal action against this demonstrable patent infringement soon, particularly in the US and Indian markets,” it added.
Moreover, it may also initiate legal action against solar cell producers who have purchased systems from manufacturers who do not hold a license for this patent, RENA warned.
It added that solar cells manufactured in violation of the patent have a high risk of seizure worldwide.
“We take the protection of our intellectual property very seriously. The unauthorized use of patented technology jeopardizes our innovative strength and competitiveness in an anti-competitive manner," according to RENA CEO Peter Schneidewind.
The German firm recently entered a strategic partnership with Indian solar cell and module manufacturer Premier Energies Limited for its advanced wet chemistry and precision equipment.