Hanwha Q Cells said Tuesday it has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Chinese solar company Astronergy in Germany.

The lawsuit, filed on March 12 with German court, accuses Astronergy of stealing Hanwha’s patented technology that enhances the efficiency of solar cells.

The legal action is the latest from Hanwha against Chinese competitors. Previously it sued three firms -- Jinko Solar, LONGi Solar and REC -- in March 2019. Last June, Germany’s Dusseldorf District Court ruled in favor of Hanwha in the first trial and banned the defendants’ import and sales of patent-infringing products in Germany, also ordering them to recall such products that had been distributed since Jan. 30, 2019.

“The lawsuits aim to promote sound competition in research and development and ultimately contribute to the development of the solar power industry,” said Daniel Jeong, chief technology officer at Hanwha Q Cells.

Hanwha’s patented technology creates a layer on the backside of solar cells and reflects light back to the cells, increasing their efficiency rate.

On March 19, Hanwha filed the same lawsuit against another Chinese solar manufacturer and its local distributor in France, but did not disclose the name of the company due to legal issues.

By Kim Byung-wook (kbw@heraldcorp.com)