Zep Solar, Inc. (San Rafael, Calif.), developer of the first PV module-integrated installation platform, on December 21^st, 2011 sued Westinghouse Solar, Inc., Light Way Solar and three other parties for infringement of a Zep Solar patent (US #7,592,537), which covers many of Zep Solar's innovative and highly successful products.

Zep Solar is petitioning the US District Court for the Northern District of California to award enhanced damages for willful infringement and issue preliminary and permanent injunctions barring Westinghouse and the other defendants from infringing through the licensing, manufacturing, importation, offering for sale, sale, or use of Westinghouse's PV modules and installation hardware, including the Westinghouse Solar Power Systems AC-230/235 product family, Andalay Groove components and others.

Zep Solar CEO Mike Miskovsky: Competitors copied innovations in an attempt to become more competitive

"Westinghouse's new products blatantly infringe our patent rights. It appears that the company's difficulties in the market have led it to copy our innovations in an attempt to become more competitive," stated Mike Miskovsky, CEO of Zep Solar.

"Our licensees have invested in the Zep Compatible platform and it is our obligation to protect that investment and the value that it brings to the solar industry."

This suit additionally names certain Westinghouse business partners who assist the company in bringing its various infringing products to market.

2011-12-23| Courtesy: Zep Solar | solarserver.com © Heindl Server GmbH

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