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DKEM seeks $57.5 million in twin patent suits against Chinese PV rivals

Wuxi DK Electronic Materials is pursuing two patent infringement cases against domestic competitors, seeking injunctions, equipment destruction, and combined damages of CNY 400 million ($57.5 million).

Wuxi DK Electronic Materials has filed two patent infringement lawsuits with the Jiangsu High People’s Court against Jiangsu Riyu Photovoltaic New Materials and Suzhou Jinyin New Materials Technology , seeking CNY 200 million in damages and related legal costs in each case.

The company said both filings have been formally accepted and registered by the court, although hearing dates have not yet been scheduled.

The lawsuits concern two Chinese invention patents, ZL201180032359.1 and ZL201180032701.8, covering thick-film conductive paste formulations for semiconductor devices, including solar cells. DKEM said the patents are held by its subsidiary Solamet Electronic Materials and relate to lead-tellurium-lithium and oxide-based paste technologies.

DKEM is seeking injunctions to halt the manufacture, sale, and offering for sale of the allegedly infringing pastes. The company is also requesting the destruction of dedicated production equipment and molds, and compensation for economic losses, enforcement costs, and related expenses.

The patents trace back to the intellectual property portfolio of DuPont’s former Solamet photovoltaic paste business, acquired by another entity in 2021 for $190 million. DKEM later consolidated control of the Solamet assets and associated intellectual property.

Suzhou Jinyin is described in Chinese financial reporting as a leading supplier of front-side silver paste for solar cells, ranking third globally by market share. Founded in 2011, it was later acquired by listed electronics firm Suzhou Good-Ark Electronics. Jiangsu Riyu is a fast-growing paste supplier that filed a Hong Kong listing application in 2025, with plans to expand into n-type and back-contact paste products.

This follows earlier high-value patent actions by DKEM. In 2025, its subsidiary filed a suit against Zhejiang Guangda Electronic Technology seeking similar remedies. A Solamet-linked entity also pursued related claims against Changzhou Juhe New Materials in 2021, with domestic and overseas disputes reportedly settled in August 2022.

Separately, DKEM flagged earnings pressure, forecasting a net loss of CNY 200 million to CNY 300 million for 2025, primarily linked to non-operating factors, according to Chinese financial media.

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Chinese PV Industry Brief: Polysilicon output set to fall by 15% in January

Polysilicon trading in China remained largely inactive, with production cuts accelerating and wafer prices falling week on week, while downstream cell prices continued to rise and module prices held steady, according to a trade group representing China's nonferrous metals sector.

The China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNMA) said polysilicon trading remained largely stalled, with only limited exploratory orders completed. One leading producer has halted operations, while two others have implemented production cuts. January output is expected to fall by about 15% month on month, broadly in line with wafer production schedules, with February output forecast at 82,000 to 85,000 metric tons. The association said most wafer prices declined week on week, with average transaction prices at CNY 1.26 per piece for n-type G10L wafers, down 3.82%; CNY 1.32 for n-type G12R wafers, down 7.04%; and CNY 1.52 for n-type G12 wafers, down 8.43%. Downstream cell prices rose to CNY 0.41/W to CNY 0.45/W, up 4.88%, while module prices were stable at CNY 0.71/W to CNY 0.75/W.

Hoymiles has signed a supply contract with Indian renewable energy solutions provider KOSOL Energie to deliver 360 MW of its HMS series microinverters in 2026. The company said the products are optimized for India’s high-temperature, high-humidity, and high-irradiance conditions, as well as for larger module formats, large-scale commercial and industrial rooftops, and complex grid environments.

Boway Alloy has issued a profit warning, forecasting full-year 2025 net profit attributable to shareholders of CNY 100 million to CNY 150 million, down 88.9% to 92.6% year on year. The China-listed parent of Vietnam-based Boviet Solar said the decline reflects impairment charges linked to high US anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Vietnam-manufactured products, which made relocating production uneconomic, as well as reduced subsidies and order losses at its United States subsidiary following passage of the United States “Big and Beautiful” Act. Boway Alloy said it is exploring equity divestment options.

PowerChina has signed an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract through its Colombia branch for a 251 MW solar project in Santander province, Colombia. The scope includes PV plant development, equipment supply, installation and commissioning, with a string inverter plus tracking system configuration intended to improve generation efficiency and operational stability.

Deye said it submitted an application on Jan. 27 to issue H shares and list on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The company said its listing application materials were published on the exchange’s website the same day.

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Chinese PV Industry Brief: Longi, Tongwei announce losses for fiscal 2025

Longi, and Tongwei have predicted steep losses for fully fiscal year 2025, as persistent oversupply and falling solar module prices continue to pressure margins across China’s PV manufacturing sector.

Tongwei said it expects to post a net loss of CNY 9 billion ($1.29 billion) to RMB 10 billion for full fiscal year 2025. The polysilicon and module manufacturer said this loss is largely due to continued low pricing throughout the solar value chain, which has eroded margins, rising costs for key raw materials, and a persistent imbalance between supply and demand in the photovoltaic market. Tongwei posted a net loss of CNY 7.04 billion for 2024, down 152% from a net profit of CNY 13.58 billion in the preceding year, marking its first annual loss since listing.

Longi said it expects a net loss attributable to shareholders CNY 6 billion to CNY 6.5 billion for the fiscal year 2025. The company said the expected loss is mainly attributable to ongoing structural pressures in the photovoltaic industry — especially a persistent imbalance between supply and demand, which has kept solar product prices very low and intensified internal price competition. In 2024, the company posted a net loss of CNY 8.62 billion, down from a profit of CNY 10.75 billion in 2023, as annual revenue fell 36.2%. Longi also announced it signed a framework agreement with European distributor Brandmerchandising B.V. under which the partner will procure 300 MW of HPBC 2.0 high-efficiency modules.

JinkoSolar has announced distribution agreements totaling nearly 300 MW for its Tiger Neo 3 modules with Thailand-based UTI Energy, Solar Touch, JTN Energy, and IAN Solar, expanding its footprint in the Southeast Asian market. The company also announced its controlling subsidiary, Haining Jinko, plans to introduce strategic investors including Xingyin Asset Management and China Orient Asset Management through a capital increase of up to CNY 3.0bn ($412m) for a stake of no more than 24.68%. The proceeds will be used primarily to repay debt. JinkoSolar said it will waive its pre-emptive rights but retain an indirect holding of at least 68.94%, leaving control unchanged.

Trina Solar secured two supply agreements with ACWA Power covering utility-scale projects in Saudi Arabia. Trina will deliver 1.15 GW of modules for the Haden solar project and 900 MW of trackers for the 1.5 GW Al Khushaybi project. Both projects are scheduled for completion by July 2026, with grid connection planned for February 2027.

China Huadian Group has released its 2026 centralized PV module procurement tender, split into two lots of 6 GW and 2 GW, with minimum module efficiency requirements of 23.8% and 22.8%, respectively.

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Chinese battery makers scale up from 314 Ah to 500 Ah-plus LFP cells

China’s leading stationary storage battery manufacturers are accelerating the rollout of 500 Ah-plus lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells, betting that larger formats can cut system complexity and lift energy density in 6 MWh-class containers, even as safety, yield, and standardization challenges intensify.

From ESS News

China’s top stationary storage cell makers have accelerated the rollout of 500Ah-plus LFP formats since 2025, positioning “big cells” as a near-term pathway to reduce balance-of-system complexity and lift container-level energy density.

CATL is promoting a 587Ah energy storage cell as part of its large-format roadmap. The company cites a volumetric energy density of 434 Wh/L and a cycle life exceeding 10,000 cycles. CATL said it made its first deliveries in June 2025 and has installed four production lines at its Jining facility in Shandong province, with total annual capacity of 60 GWh. It also reported cumulative shipments of more than 2 GWh by December 2025.

EVE Energy is pushing its Mr. Big 628Ah product line into the market, positioning the cells around higher integration efficiency for long-duration storage systems.

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