US Federal Circuit Ends Patent Litigation Between Canadian Solar and Maxeon

Canadian Solar, a Chinese-Canadian solar module manufacturer, has confirmed that the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit dismissed Maxeon’s patent infringement suit with prejudice, effectively terminating the remaining litigation between the two companies. This dismissal follows a key ruling by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) in January 2026, which invalidated the Maxeon patent claims asserted against Canadian Solar.

In a company statement, Canadian Solar noted that the Federal Circuit also vacated the relevant portion of the PTAB decision concerning Maxeon’s remaining claim. The PTAB’s Final Written Decisions issued earlier this year found all Maxeon patent claims involved in the federal court litigation to be invalid, favoring Canadian Solar.

"Canadian Solar welcomes the dismissal of the lawsuit and the final resolution of these patent claims," the company said. "The ruling provides important clarity and reinforces Canadian Solar’s claims of non-infringement."

The patent dispute originated when Singapore-based Maxeon filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Canadian Solar in March 2024 in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. The case involved an unspecified Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact (TOPCon) solar cell technology, a cutting-edge innovation in photovoltaic modules.

This legal battle is part of a broader pattern of patent disputes involving Canadian Solar. Maxeon previously sued Canadian Solar in Japan in 2020, alleging infringement of Japan Patent No. JP6642841B2 related to shingled solar modules. That case was settled in April 2022.

Additionally, Canadian Solar has faced patent infringement claims from PV manufacturer Solaria in the United States. Solaria filed three separate claims concerning the process of separating photovoltaic strips from solar cells for use in shingled modules.

Maxeon’s patent enforcement efforts have extended beyond Canadian Solar. In November 2023, Maxeon initiated litigation against Chinese competitor Aiko Solar Energy and wholesaler Memedo GmbH for alleged infringement related to back contact solar cell architecture. A Dutch court rejected Maxeon’s request for a preliminary injunction in May 2025, and Maxeon expanded the legal action to include Aiko and its distributors in Germany in December 2025.

The dismissal of Maxeon’s suit against Canadian Solar by the Federal Circuit marks a significant development in the competitive solar technology sector, providing Canadian Solar with legal certainty regarding its use of TOPCon technology in the United States.