First Solar Files Patent Infringement Case Against Adani Group Firm; Case Details Inside

Billionaire Gautam Adani-led Adani Group’s company Mundra Solar PV (MSPVL) has been accused of patent violation by the US-based solar cell maker, First Solar. In a lawsuit filed by the American company in a Delaware court, the company alleged that the Adani Group company had breached two patented technologies for solar panel manufacturing. The US-based firm has also demanded compensation for the breach but hasn’t quoted a specified amount yet, Mint reported. 

This development comes months after the Adani Group made national and international headlines in an unrelated case. The US Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Justice recently filed a case against Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar Adani for allegedly paying over $250 million in bribes to Indian government officials between 2020 and 2024 to get lucrative solar-energy contracts. The power-to-port conglomerate has, however, refuted these allegations.

The development has also come around a time when President Donald Trump-led US Administration has slapped a 50% tariff on Chinese solar cells and polysilicon imports. Indian goods in the same category haven’t received similar tariff treatment. 

“Export sales have been yielding higher margins on account of robust demand, specifically from the US, which has disincentivized imports from China. As a result, India has become a key exporter of solar modules to the US,” rating agency India Ratings said in a statement on April 2. 

What is First Solar Alleging? 

The US-based solar cell maker reportedly reached out to the Adani Group on April 1 this year and alleged that it violated patent law by copying two technologies. The power-to-port conglomerate’s firm refuted the allegations and had asked the Delaware court’s judge to rule that the company didn’t violate any patent law on April 15, according to Mint. Mundra Solar PV reportedly claimed that its production process differs from First Solar’s patented technology. To back itself, the company had highlighted several differences between the manufacturing processes of the two companies, including heat treatment. 

Countering the Adani Group’s claim on August 1, the American company has persisted with its allegations. 

But Adani Group company isn’t the only one caught up in the patent-related violations alleged by the US solar cell maker. First Solar has also accused several Chinese solar makers over similar patent violations. 

The development is crucial for the Adani Group’s company as the US market accounts for nearly 50% of its business.