Tigo Energy Files Intellectual Property Infringement Lawsuit Against SMA

July 11, 2022 at 15:28 PM EDT

The complaint against SMA covers six patents related to solar rapid shutdown technology.

Tigo Energy, Inc., the solar industry’s leading Flex MLPE (Module Level Power Electronics) supplier, has filed a lawsuit against SMA Solar Technology America LLC. The complaint includes six patent infringement claims, four of which have resulted in multiple suppliers signing license agreements with Tigo Energy. The complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware and includes all SMA legal entities in the U.S. and around the world.

The Tigo complaint alleges that SMA products compliant with SunSpec Alliance specifications infringe U.S. patents 8,823,218, 8,933,321, 9,584,021, 9,966,848, 10,256,770, and 10,333,405. The complaint is focused on various systems and methods used in module-level rapid shutdown units that are attached to photovoltaic (PV) panels. Specifically, the complaint alleges that SMA and certain of its suppliers copied Tigo innovations that comply with rapid shutdown requirements of the NFPA 70® National Electric Code®.

According to National Electric Code § 690.12, “Rapid Shutdown of PV Systems on Buildings,” requires that PV system circuits “installed on or in buildings shall include a rapid shutdown function to reduce shock hazard for emergency responders.” Tigo is a leader in rapid shutdown technology and MLPE with more than one hundred patents granted or pending. Millions of Tigo units are installed around the world, where they provide optimized, monitored, and safe solar and protect critical solar energy infrastructure and deliver consistent ROI for the lifetime of renewable energy systems.

For more information about the portfolio of Tigo Flex MLPE solutions, please visit https://www.tigoenergy.com/ts4, and keep up with the latest information from Tigo by signing up for the Company’s newsletter here: https://www.tigoenergy.com/newsletter.

About Tigo Energy

Tigo Energy, the worldwide leader in Flex MLPE (Module Level Power Electronics), designs innovative solar power conversion and storage products that provide customers more choice and flexibility. The Tigo TS4 platform increases solar production, decreases operating costs, and enhances safety. When combined with the Tigo Energy Intelligence (EI) platform, it delivers module, system, and fleet-level insights to maximize solar performance and minimize operating costs. The Tigo EI Residential Solar Solution, a flexible solar-plus-storage solution for home installations, rounds out the Company’s portfolio of solar energy technology. Tigo was founded in Silicon Valley in 2007 to accelerate the adoption of solar energy, and its global team supports customers whose systems reliably produce gigawatt hours of safe solar energy on seven continents. Find us online at www.tigoenergy.com.