GoodWe to license Tigo rapid shutdown tech

Tigo Energy and solar inverter manufacturer GoodWe Technologies Co. have come to an agreement: GoodWe will license Tigo’s Module-Level Rapid Shutdown technology. Under the agreement, GoodWe products compliant with and qualified for certification under the SunSpec Rapid Shutdown Specification will not infringe on claims of Tigo licensed patents. Tigo rapid shutdown technology will be deployed in the GoodWe Rapid Shutdown Device.

Tigo is no longer a member of the SunSpec Alliance, but was during the creation of the SunSpec Rapid Shutdown Specification, which exists to create clean intellectual property to device industry specs and standards that can be adopted royalty free. After the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office upheld nine Tigo patents in February related to rapid shutdown, following a challenge by the SunSpec Alliance (also invalidating two patent claims), Tigo is in a strong position to license its technology to other solar equipment manufacturers in need of an MLPE for rapid shutdown.

Tigo rapid shutdown technology is compliant with UL 1741, the Standard for Safety for Inverters, Converters, Controllers and Interconnection System Equipment for Use With Distributed Energy Resources, the SunSpec Rapid Shutdown Specification, and rapid shutdown requirements of the U.S National Electric Code (NEC).

“We welcome GoodWe into the family of companies in the solar industry that understand the value of innovation and those that are committed to continuously bringing solar installers the equipment and safety on which they rely,” said Zvi Alon, chairman and CEO at Tigo Energy, Inc.

— Solar Builder magazine

[source: https://solarbuildermag.com/inverters/bos/goodwe-to-license-tigo-rapid-shutdown-tech/]