Ampt’s string power optimizer.
Ampt filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) against SolarEdge Technologies requesting that the ITC ban the import of SolarEdge power systems and components that infringe Ampt’s patents. Ampt simultaneously filed a similar patent infringement action against SolarEdge in the U.S. District Court in Delaware that seeks a finding of patent infringement, substantial monetary damages and an injunction.
Colorado-based Ampt invented power optimizers that are used in large solar plants to lower the cost of energy production and improve performance in new systems; upgrade existing systems; enable low-cost solar energy storage systems and improve operations and maintenance.
Ampt asserts that SolarEdge’s solar power systems unlawfully use Ampt’s optimizer technology and infringe one or more claims from eight of Ampt’s U.S. patents. These patents describe improved ways of converting electrical power from a solar energy source to make it available for use in a variety of applications.
Ampt’s complaint asks the ITC for an exclusion order banning from import into the United States those SolarEdge products that allegedly infringe Ampt’s patents. Ampt also seeks a ban on the sale of infringing products in the U.S. after they are imported. The allegedly infringing products include SolarEdge power optimizers for solar panels, inverters for solar power systems and solar power systems using both.
SolarEdge is based in Israel and its allegedly infringing products are manufactured in Israel, China, Vietnam and Hungary. If the ITC grants the relief sought by Ampt, it would not be possible for SolarEdge to continue selling those products in the United States, however there are numerous other companies selling alternative products that are currently available in the U.S. to meet both existing and future demand.
“Ampt’s power optimizer technology is essential to the clean energy revolution and plays a fundamental role in lowering the costs of large-scale solar energy production,” said Levent Gun, Ampt’s CEO. “SolarEdge has sought to improve its own position in the PV market by unlawfully using our proprietary technology without asking our permission or compensating us. By bringing these actions to defend our intellectual property, we are standing up for our employees, customers and partners, as well as the principles of fair competition and rewarding innovation that are critical to the solar energy market as a whole.
“This complaint seeks to block SolarEdge from continuing to profit wrongfully from Ampt’s patented inventions. We look forward to demonstrating to the ITC and the District Court that SolarEdge is violating our intellectual property and that the Commission should ban the import of the infringing SolarEdge products,” continued Gun.
In the ITC action, Ampt asserts that SolarEdge infringes one or more claims from U.S. Patents Nos. 9,673,630 and 11,289,917. In the U.S. District Court action, Ampt asserts that SolarEdge infringes one or more claims from the aforementioned U.S. Patents, as well as from U.S. Patents Nos. 7,605,498, 7,719,140, 10,608,437, 10,886,746, 11,070,062 and 11,070,063.
Ampt is represented by Scott Bornstein, Nick Brown, Vivian Kuo and Cyrus Frelinghuysen of Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
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