First Solar Announces Ownership of TOPCon Technology Patents, Undertakes Infringement Investigation

­First Solar, Inc. announced its ownership of patents related to the manufacturing of Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact (“TOPCon”) crystalline-silicon (“c-Si”) photovoltaic (“PV”) solar cells. First Solar secured the U.S. patent and related international counterparts through its acquisition of TetraSun, Inc. (“TetraSun”) and has initiated an investigation of several c-Si solar manufacturers for potential infringement of its patents. The patents include issued patents in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Australia, among other jurisdictions, with validities extending to 2030. It also includes pending patent applications in the European Union and Japan. First Solar firmly believes in the value and strength of the patents and plans to conduct a thorough investigation of potentially infringing products.