Jinko and Longi Reach Patent Settlement, but the Solar Industry Patent Battle Continues

Recently, a significant announcement has sparked excitement in the photovoltaic industry. On September 19 at around 5 PM, two leading solar companies, LONGi Green Energy (601012.SH) and JinkoSolar (688223.SH), issued statements indicating that they had reached a settlement regarding ongoing patent claims and legal matters related to their respective companies worldwide. The joint statement was presented in both Chinese and English. One particularly noteworthy line stated: “Both parties agree to end all ongoing patent dispute legal proceedings globally and have reached relevant commercial arrangements concerning the cross-licensing of certain core patents held by both parties.”

An industry insider analyzed the situation, suggesting that the reconciliation between JinkoSolar and LONGi may mean that these two companies will no longer engage in public disputes over which technology—TOPCon or BC—is the dominant one. This speculation is grounded in the details of the settlement, which refers to the cross-licensing of core patents related to TOPCon and BC technologies held by both companies.

As the photovoltaic cell technology entered its third developmental stage, N-type battery technologies like TOPCon, BC, and HJT emerged prominently. The competition between TOPCon and BC has gained considerable attention. TOPCon, or Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact, utilizes a thin tunneling oxide layer and a polysilicon layer to achieve passivation, reducing carrier recombination and enhancing open-circuit voltage and conversion efficiency. On the other hand, BC, or Back Contact, employs a front-contactless back structure where both the positive and negative terminals are located on the back, thereby improving photoelectric conversion efficiency and power generation.

The struggle between these two technologies began in 2023, a year in which TOPCon gained significant traction. According to data from the China Photovoltaic Industry Association, TOPCon’s market share reached approximately 23% in 2023, contrasting sharply with the previous year’s N-type battery market share of less than 10%. During a half-year performance briefing on September 5, 2023, LONGi Green Energy‘s chairman, Zhong Baoshan, stated, “In the next 5-6 years, BC batteries will be the absolute mainstream in crystalline silicon batteries.” This marked the beginning of direct confrontations between the TOPCon camp, led by JinkoSolar, and the BC camp, led by LONGi.

Despite their clear preferences for N-type battery technologies, both companies have engaged in production capacities for the other’s technology. For instance, JinkoSolar disclosed in its 2025 semi-annual report its advancements in BC technology, highlighting the development of low-complexity metallization techniques compatible with TOPCon passivated contact technology, along with differentiated efficiency enhancement technologies. A third-party certification revealed that the maximum conversion efficiency of N-type BC batteries reached 27.2%.

In practice, both LONGi and JinkoSolar have ventured into each other’s technological domains. However, the past two years of technological rivalry between these photovoltaic giants have also served as a backdrop for a patent war. On December 4, 2024, JinkoSolar initiated multiple lawsuits in Jiangsu, alleging patent infringement against LONGi. A month later, another lawsuit was filed in Nanchang, Jiangxi. In response, LONGi retaliated starting in January 2025, first filing a counterclaim in the U.S. against JinkoSolar for violating TOPCon patents and subsequently suing JinkoSolar in Jinan, Shandong. JinkoSolar also extended its claims to Japan and Australia in early 2025.

As of now, information regarding LONGi’s patent dispute against JinkoSolar in the Jinan Intermediate People’s Court, which opened on July 14, remains accessible. Reports suggest that by late August and early September, JinkoSolar began seeking a temporary suspension of LONGi‘s patent infringement actions in the European Unified Patent Court until the recent joint statement was issued, effectively concluding the half-year-long patent conflict between the two solar giants.

With the conclusion of the patent dispute between LONGi and JinkoSolar, one might wonder if this also signals an end to the debate over which technology reigns supreme—TOPCon or BC. An industry expert noted that the conflicts surrounding technologies and patents primarily reflect competition for market share. Given the current imbalance between supply and demand, the intensity of the technology dispute has diminished. For instance, at the SNEC photovoltaic exhibition in June, major solar module manufacturers no longer solely showcased products based on one technology path.

Moreover, leaders from prominent solar companies have indicated that debates over whether TOPCon, BC, or HJT is superior are now irrelevant. Nevertheless, the resolution of the patent disputes between LONGi and JinkoSolar could have significant implications. Each company holds a substantial number of patents for BC and TOPCon technologies, and their cross-licensing arrangement essentially creates a form of technological alliance. In an environment where production capacity exceeds demand, companies that lack patent protections and face commoditized competition will struggle to survive.

It is undeniable that the resolution of patent disputes between LONGi and JinkoSolar marks a significant event in the ongoing promotion of intellectual property protection within China’s photovoltaic sector. Notably, prior to this settlement, seven of the top ten global solar module manufacturers had already been involved in patent disputes, often serving as both plaintiffs and defendants. Since the second half of 2024, companies like JA Solar, Trina Solar, JinkoSolar, LONGi, and Canadian Solar have initiated patent litigation across various photovoltaic markets.

Among the most notable disputes, aside from the LONGi and JinkoSolar conflict, is Trina Solar’s announcement in February 2025 regarding its patent infringement allegations against Canadian Solar, seeking claims exceeding 1 billion yuan. As of August, this case remains in the preliminary evidence exchange phase and has yet to go to trial.

According to attorney Wang Ping from Longan Shanghai Law Firm, the complexity of photovoltaic patent litigation stems from high technical barriers, involving interdisciplinary subjects such as material science, nanostructures, and optical coatings, necessitating detailed comparisons by third-party technical assessment agencies. The uncertainties surrounding the litigation process and outcomes can significantly impact the market value of patent-intensive companies.

In fact, protecting intellectual property has become an effective means to prevent the photovoltaic industry from falling into the pitfalls of homogenized and cutthroat competition. In November 2024, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology officially released the “Photovoltaic Manufacturing Industry Standard Conditions (2024 Edition),” aimed at enhancing management in the photovoltaic manufacturing sector and promoting industry transformation and structural adjustment. This document emphasizes the importance of intellectual property, encouraging companies to strengthen the development, application, and protection of their intellectual property rights while establishing comprehensive compliance management systems.

On August 19, 2025, a meeting was convened by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and other departments to further regulate competition within the photovoltaic industry. The meeting addressed the need to standardize product quality and combat issues such as reduced quality control, misrepresentation of product power, and infringement of intellectual property rights. However, it remains a long-term battle for both enterprises and the industry as a whole.