Technology company Nextracker and Northern States Metals Company have settled a patent infringement lawsuit concerning the latter’s solar energy business, Solar FlexRack.
As part of the settlement, Solar FlexRack must pay Nextracker royalties on qualifying sales revenue of Solar FlexRack’s patent infringing TDP-2.0 solar tracker and some products, services and components.
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Nextracker, which recently agreed to supply trackers for Australia’s largest solar farm, filed a suit against the company in federal court on 25 June 2020, stating that FlexRack had improperly made use of its patented technology.
Nextracker, the complaint said, has “suffered and continues to suffer significant injury because of FlexRack’s patent infringement.”
The lawsuit concerns patents from 2017 and 2018 for Nextracker’s NX Horizon Smart Solar Tracker design. The company said in its complaint that FlexRack refused to cease marketing and selling its TDP-2.0 tracker.
Dan Shugar, Nextracker’s chief executive, said it was “pleased” to reach a resolution to the lawsuit.
“Nextracker treats its intellectual property very seriously, and we will vigorously defend our patent rights in all global markets in which we conduct business,” Shugar said.
“We are pleased to reach an acceptable resolution to this litigation and look forward to our new commercial relationship with Solar FlexRack.”