From pv magazine Global
Nextpower has begun legal proceedings against US tracker manufacturer Gamechange Energy, alleging patent infringement.
The lawsuit filed by Nextpower alleges that Gamechange’s Genius tracker systems and software infringe on three patents held by Nextpower. The patents, according to Nextpower, pertain to self-powered tracker technology and the company’s truecapture energy management software.
Nextpower said it is seeking both injunctive relief and monetary damages, in accordance with US patent law.
Soon after Nextpower made its infringement claims public, Gamechange responded with its own announcement, stating that “GameChange Energy denies the allegations in the complaint and intends to mount a full and vigorous defense.”
Both companies involved have recently undergone significant market shifts and rebranding efforts, to positions themselves as providers of full PV system solutions, rather than trackers specifically. This reflects broader industry trends toward consolidation and integration among those providing components and services to the PV projects sectors.
The lawsuit coincides with an announcement from Gamechange that it plans to bring its activities in various segments – trackers, transformers and remote monitoring – under a single brand. It said this will enable the company “to serve developers, EPCs, and utilities seeking a more integrated approach to project delivery.”
“The biggest challenge we hear from customers is vendor coordination. Managing multiple suppliers across trackers, eBOS, monitoring, and transformers adds cost and time to every project,” said Gamechange CEO Phillip Vyhanek.
Nextpower has also recently moved to position itself in more markets, with acquisitions pushing into PV module manufacturing and energy storage, among others.
Intellectual property action has been a growing solar industry trend recently, as companies look to secure market share and ownership of the technologies that PV projects run on.
Writing in the upcoming June issue of pv magazine, intellectual property expert Isaku Begert of Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP, warns “firms that treat [intellectual property] as a late-stage legal issue risk having to make reactive decisions with limited options. Those that integrate IP into strategy and procurement will be better positioned to navigate disruption without sacrificing performance or timelines.”
Comments
Please login to comment
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
11:00 am – 12:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Thursday, June 11, 2026
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Monday, June 1, 2026
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm CEST, Berlin, Madrid, Paris
Tuesday, June 16, 2026
6 am – 7:00 am CEST, Berlin
Friday, June 12, 2026
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
The new pv magazine Global May issue is now available!
Mountains to climb
Available in print and digital formats.
A two-day conference in Austin, Texas, bringing together leaders in US solar manufacturing, equipment specification, and factory execution.
Entries open in seven categories: Modules, Inverters, BoS, BESS, Manufacturing, Sustainability, Projects.
April 01 – August 31, 2026
pv magazine USA hosts its third multi-day virtual event on advancing U.S. solar and energy storage markets, covering financing, supply chains, and distributed energy’s role in grid resilience.
You have no items in your basket.
