Maxeon Solar Technologies has announced a new patent licensing agreement with AIKO, marking a significant milestone in the company’s efforts to strengthen global intellectual property (IP) protection in the solar sector.
The agreement highlights the critical role patents play in encouraging technological innovation and underlines how sustained investment in advanced solar technologies can benefit the wider industry. Maxeon said the development reflects the commercial value and relevance of its extensive solar technology portfolio.
With more than four decades of research and development, Maxeon has invested over half a billion dollars since 2007 alone to advance solar cell and module performance. The company’s technology roadmap has focused on improving efficiency, durability, and long-term energy output, helping deliver higher lifetime value to customers across rooftop and utility-scale projects.
Maxeon currently holds more than 2,000 granted patents worldwide, along with hundreds of pending applications. Its portfolio spans multiple advanced solar technologies, including Back Contact (BC) solar cells, TOPCon solar cells, and Shingled Hypercell module technologies.
The company’s BC solar cells are engineered for higher strength and reliability, enabling panels to deliver more energy over longer lifetimes compared with conventional technologies. According to Maxeon, this translates into greater long-term savings and improved performance assurance for customers.
The licensing agreement with AIKO comes amid ongoing patent-related developments. In 2024, Maxeon filed patent infringement lawsuits against Hanwha Qcells and Canadian Solar over TOPCon technology. In the Canadian Solar case, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office recently ruled certain claims in two Maxeon patents unpatentable, while upholding one patent in its entirety. The company noted that claims surviving inter partes review are considered legally stronger and reinforce the value of its patent portfolio.
Maxeon stated it believes it has credible legal grounds to seek reversal of the unfavorable portions of the decision and will continue to defend its intellectual property.
The company emphasized that its innovation strategy is focused not only on performance improvements but also on long-term reliability. Maxeon solar panels are backed by performance guarantees of up to 40 years, among the longest in the industry.
