shutterstock_793209802_jpstock
13 September 2021PatentsMuireann Bolger

GE wins first leg of wind turbine dispute with Siemens Gamesa

General Electric (GE) has succeeded in preventing wind-turbine manufacturer Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy from importing products into the US.

The US International Trade Commission (USITC) confirmed that it had delivered a decision on Friday, September 10, that upheld GE’s arguments that Siemens had infringed its IP.

In September 2020, the USITC announced that it would investigate a complaint by GE filed two months earlier, that alleged that the German renewable energy company had violated section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 by infringing its patents.

The disputed patents, US numbers 6,921,985 and 7,629,705, cover certain variable speed wind turbine generators and components. The complaint requested that the commission institute an investigation and then issue a limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders.

In a statement, GE said: “It is GE’s view that the protection of IP rights is the foundation for driving both innovation and investment in high technology industries generally, and the associated creation of high-value jobs. GE believes strongly in the merits of its case...and will continue to protect its technology in the US.”

In the same month, Siemens Gamesa countered by filing the patent infringement complaint against GEs renewable energy division at the US District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

In that complaint, Siemens Gamesa alleged that GE’s offshore wind turbine Haliade-X infringed Siemens Gamesa’s offshore direct drive technology patents.

In the notice posted on Friday, USITC Judge Clark Cheney concluded that Siemens Gamesa infringed a GE patent that outlines methods to ensure that turbines remain connected to the grid while voltage fluctuations occur.

But Judge Cheney’s full findings will remain confidential until both companies get the opportunity to redact confidential information.

The agency is scheduled to deliver a final decision on January 10, 2022.

GE’s actions against Siemens follows a spate of patent litigation by the company since it acquired numerous companies in the wind power market in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

GE sued Vestas over its zero-voltage ride-through technology in 2017 and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries over the same technology back in 2008.

GE and Vestas later settled their dispute.

Did you enjoy reading this story?  Sign up to our free daily newsletters and get stories sent like this straight to your inbox

Today’s top stories

PDOs protect services as well as products: CJEU

Photographer can’t escape Jay-Z copyright claims

Already registered?

Login to your account

To request a FREE 2-week trial subscription, please signup.
NOTE - this can take up to 48hrs to be approved.

Two Weeks Free Trial

For multi-user price options, or to check if your company has an existing subscription that we can add you to for FREE, please email Adrian Tapping at atapping@newtonmedia.co.uk


More on this story

Copyright
10 February 2021   A Siemens unit plans to sue unidentified users who illegally downloaded its software via the internet service provider Comcast for damages of up to $150,000 and has demanded the handover of their personal details.
Patents
20 June 2022   General Electric (GE) has infringed a wind turbine patent owned by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, according to a jury in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
Patents
16 August 2022   US state opposes a permanent injunction bid by a German tech company | General Electric was found by a Massachusetts court in June this year to have infringed a wind turbine patent | State-sponsored renewable energy project ‘at risk’.