Hanwha Q CELLS files patent infringement complaint with the Federal Court of Australia against REC Group and two distributors, Sol Distribution, and BayWa r.e. Solar Systems

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Hanwha Q CELLS Co., Ltd.

25 Mar, 2019, 11:21 GMT

SYDNEY, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hanwha Q CELLS Australia Pty. Ltd., together with Hanwha Q CELLS & Advanced Materials Corp. (collectively, "Hanwha Q CELLS"), today announced it has filed a patent infringement complaint with the Federal Court of Australia against REC Solar Pte. Ltd. ("REC"), a part of the European headquartered REC Group. This follows Hanwha Q CELLS's commencement of patent infringement proceedings in Australia against Jinko Solar Australia Holdings Co. Pty. Ltd. and LONGi Green Technology Co. Ltd. on 12 March, 2019.

Hanwha Q CELLS also announced that its complaint against REC also names Sol Distribution Pty. Ltd. and BayWa r.e. Solar Systems Pty. Ltd. for distributing REC products in Australia that has allegedly infringe Hanwha Q CELLS's patented technology.

The Federal Court complaint alleges that REC, Sol Distribution Pty. Ltd., and BayWa r.e. Solar Systems Pty. Ltd. are importing and selling solar modules that incorporate Hanwha Q CELLS's patented passivation technology and infringe Hanwha Q CELLS's Australian patent rights. Hanwha Q CELLS seeks an order to stop the three companies from importing, marketing, and selling products that infringe Hanwha Q CELLS's asserted Australian patent. Hanwha Q CELLS has made significant investments in the commercialization of the relevant technology and, as the patent owner, has the exclusive right to sell solar modules in Australia incorporating this technology.

"We do not tolerate the infringement of our intellectual property rights and we will vigorously defend our technology from being unfairly used," said Hee Cheul (Charles) Kim, Chief Executive Officer of Hanwha Q CELLS & Advanced Materials Corp. "We commenced legal action in Australia against two distributors as we are concerned they are distributing products supplied by REC Group that incorporate our patented passivation technology."

"Hanwha Q CELLS remains fully committed to serving the needs of the Australian market and we have no intention to cause inconvenience to customers, be they EPC contractors, distributors, or installers. We believe these legal actions will contribute to the long-term, healthy development of the solar energy industry. Protecting our property rights from companies that sell products that infringe Hanwha Q CELLS's patent is an important part of our commitment to retain our ability to innovate next-generation solar energy technology."

This follows an announcement on 5 March, 2019, that Hanwha Q CELLS & Advanced Materials Corp. and Hanwha Q CELLS USA Inc. filed a patent infringement complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission ("ITC") and Hanwha Q CELLS & Advanced Materials Corp. filed related patent infringement complaints with the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware against JinkoSolar, LONGi Solar, and REC Group, and that Hanwha Q CELLS GmbH filed patent infringement complaints with the Regional Court of Düsseldorf against JinkoSolar GmbH and REC Solar EMEA GmbH.

For additional information on this matter, please visit www.q-cellsip.com.

The press releases about the related patent infringement complaints in Australia, the United States and Germany can be accessed here:

About Hanwha Q CELLS Australia Pty. Ltd.

Hanwha Q CELLS Australia Pty. Ltd. is located in Sydney, Australia and provides high quality photovoltaic modules and solutions to the Australian market. It is a subsidiary of Hanwha Q CELLS Co., Ltd., one of the world's largest and most recognized photovoltaic manufacturers, known for its high-performance, high-quality solar cells and modules. Hanwha Q CELLS Australia Pty. Ltd. has been present in Australia since 2009 and in 2019 was awarded the title of Australia's Top Brand PV by internationally recognized research institute EuPD for the fourth consecutive year. For more information, please visit www.q-cells.com/au.

About Hanwha Q CELLS & Advanced Materials Corp.

Hanwha Q CELLS & Advanced Materials Corp. is a photovoltaic manufacturer with business operations in South Korea and manufacturing facilities in the United States (Hanwha Q CELLS USA Inc.) and South Korea. Hanwha Q CELLS & Advanced Materials Corp. offers a full spectrum of photovoltaic products, applications, and solutions, from cells and modules to kits, and large-scale solar power plants. Hanwha Q CELLS & Advanced Materials Corp. provides excellent services and long-term partnerships to its customers in the utility, commercial, governmental, and residential markets.

About Hanwha Q CELLS USA Inc.

Hanwha Q CELLS USA Inc. is located in Dalton, Georgia, and is a solar module manufacturing facility. It is a subsidiary of Hanwha Q CELLS & Advanced Materials Corp., one of the world's largest and most recognized photovoltaic manufacturers.

About Hanwha Q CELLS GmbH

Hanwha Q CELLS GmbH is the German subsidiary of Hanwha Q CELLS Co., Ltd. Hanwha Q CELLS GmbH is responsible for the R&D, sale, and installation of a full spectrum of solar components -- from modules and kits to systems and large-scale solar power plants -- across all European markets, as well as Latin America, the Middle East, and North Africa. Hanwha Q CELLS GmbH's parent company, Hanwha Q CELLS Co., Ltd., has diverse international manufacturing facilities in Malaysia and China.

Safe-Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," and similar statements. Among other things, the quotations from management in this press release and the Hanwha Q CELLS's operations and business outlook contain forward-looking statements. Such statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, Hanwha Q CELLS does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Hanwha Q CELLS GmbH
Corporate Communications
Oliver Beckel, Ian Clover
Tel: +49 (0)3494 6699 10121
E-mail: presse@q-cells.com

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