Country for PR: United States
Contributor: PR Newswire New York
Tuesday, September 29 2020 - 08:05
AsiaNet
Maxeon Solar Technologies Files Patent Action Against Canadian Solar in Japan
SINGAPORE, Sept. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --

Maxeon Solar Technologies, Ltd. (NASDAQ:MAXN), a global leader in solar 
innovation, today announced that it filed a patent infringement lawsuit against 
Canadian Solar Japan K.K., in Tokyo District Court, Japan.

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The lawsuit filing alleges Canadian Solar Japan infringes Maxeon's Japan Patent 
No. JP6642841B2 ("Shingled Solar Cell Module") for the proprietary and 
fundamental shingled solar cell panel technology used to deploy solar panels 
that Maxeon designs, manufactures and sells under the 'SunPower Performance' 
brand name. Canadian Solar Japan is a wholly owned subsidiary of Canadian Solar 
Inc., which is headquartered in Canada with operations and production 
facilities in China and in South-East Asia.

Shingled solar cell panels are typically made from separating solar cells into 
smaller solar cell strips and then connecting the resulting solar cell strips 
in an over-lapping layout. The result is a higher power, higher efficiency 
panel, with enhanced reliability and improved durability compared to 
conventional panels.

The Performance panel architecture and manufacturing processes were pioneered 
by Silicon Valley-based start-up company Cogenra Solar which was acquired by 
SunPower Corporation in 2015. In the subsequent spinoff of Maxeon Solar 
Technologies, Maxeon retained the use of the SunPower brand in the more than 
100 markets it serves. Maxeon produces its SunPower Performance solar panels in 
China at Huansheng Photovoltaic (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd., its joint venture with 
Tianjin Zhonghuan Semiconductor Co., Ltd. With more than 3 gigawatts deployed 
across over 60 countries to date, Performance panels are the industry's most 
deployed shingled solar cell panel technology.

"We've built our business on a 35-year foundation of pioneering solar 
innovation. The intellectual property behind our shingled solar cell technology 
was developed by our talented design and engineering teams and is the result of 
substantial investment," said Jeff Waters, CEO of Maxeon Solar Technologies. 
"The resultant Performance technology outperforms conventional panels in 
efficiency, power, reliability and aesthetics."

The innovation behind Performance panels is protected by an international 
portfolio of more than 150 patents and patent applications covering shingled 
solar cell and panel design, as well as key manufacturing tools and processes.

"We feel very strongly about the importance of upholding our intellectual 
property rights, and view our intellectual property as a key business asset," 
added Lindsey Wiedmann, Maxeon's Chief Legal Officer. "Maxeon's patent 
portfolio, which now includes more than 900 patents, helps protect the many 
technical advancements we've made through the years that have led us to a 
prominent position in the solar industry," continued Wiedmann. "We must 
vigorously safeguard these valuable assets, and this action against Canadian 
Solar is a necessary step to prevent unauthorized use of our intellectual 
property.  Respect of intellectual property rights is critical to incentivize 
innovation and for the orderly ongoing development of the solar industry."

About Maxeon Solar Technologies
Maxeon Solar Technologies (NASDAQ: MAXN) is Powering Positive Change(TM). 
Headquartered in Singapore, Maxeon designs and sells SunPower(R) brand solar 
panels across more than 100 countries and is the leader in solar innovation 
with access to over 900 patents and two best-in-class solar panel product 
lines. With operations in Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe and Mexico, Maxeon 
products span the global rooftop and solar power plant markets through a 
network of more than 1,100 trusted partners and distributors. A pioneer in 
sustainable solar manufacturing, Maxeon leverages a 35-year history in the 
solar industry and numerous awards for its technology. 

Forward-Looking Statements 
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of 
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not 
limited to, statements regarding our future plans and areas of focus, our 
positioning and business plans for future success, and our positioning to 
enforce patent rights. These forward-looking statements are based on our 
current assumptions, expectations and beliefs and involve substantial risks and 
uncertainties that may cause results, performance or achievement to materially 
differ from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. A 
detailed discussion of these factors and other risks that affect our business 
is included in filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(SEC) from time to time, including our most recent report on Form 20-F, as 
amended, particularly under the heading "Risk Factors." Copies of these filings 
are available online from the SEC or on the SEC Filings section of our Investor 
Relations website at www.maxeon.com/investor-relations. All forward-looking 
statements in this press release are based on information currently available 
to us, and we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements 
in light of new information or future events.

(C) 2020 Maxeon Solar Technologies, Ltd. All Rights Reserved. MAXEON is a 
registered trademark of Maxeon Solar Technologies, Ltd. View 
www.maxeon.com/trademarks for more information.

SOURCE: Maxeon Solar Technologies
Translations

Japanese