US firm accuses Adani solar co of breaching its panel tech patent

An intellectual property rights dispute hangs over the Adani Group's ₹3,000-crore-a-year solar panel exports to the US after First Solar, the largest American solar cell maker, accused group company Mundra Solar PV Ltd (MSPVL) of patent violation.

- Dipali Banka & Nehal Chaliawala

In a Delaware court, First Solar alleged the Indian company had infringed upon two patented technologies for solar panel manufacturing, demanding compensation for damages it hasn't specified yet. MSPVL has denied the charges. Mint has seen the court filings.

First Solar has already sued a Chinese solar maker over the same charge, and sent warning letters to several others over the alleged patent violation. The Nasdaq-listed company stands to benefit if solar panel imports to the US are curtailed.

The dispute comes at a time when Indian firms have gained from America's 50% tariff on Chinese solar cells and polysilicon. The US, which has imposed stiff tariffs on a host of Indian goods, has kept solar cells out of these tariffs.

Queries sent to the Adani Group and First Solar on Monday remained unanswered. Nasdaq-listed First Solar wrote to the Adani Group on 1 April, accusing it of copying the two technologies. MSPVL swiftly moved a Delaware court on 15 April, where First Solar has also sued a Chinese company on similar charges, urging the judge to declare that it does not infringe on First Solar's patents.

The company claimed that its manufacturing process is different from First Solar's patented technology, and highlighted several differences between the two processes, including on heat treatment.

Following this, the US company on 1 August filed a counterclaim against the Adani Group in the same court, alleging infringement of its patents and seeking damages, the quantum of which is yet to be calculated.