General Electric Company (GE) has filed a patent infringement complaint against Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd in a U.S. District Court in Northern Texas.
In the complaint GE alleges that MHI infringes on two patents including:
GE’s patented zero voltage ride through technology system that helps wind turbines remain connected to the electricity grid when grid voltage drops to zero.
GE’s patented bed-frame for supporting the weight of the rotor, gearbox and drive shaft.
GE has 148 issued US patents related to wind energy ande believes that there are multiple areas where MHI’s 2.4 MW wind turbines infringe on GE’s existing patents.
GE’s move comes about despite a decision in January by the U.S. International Trade Commission finding no violation of GE’s wind turbine patents by Mitsubishi, and terminating its investigation. In fact GE plans to appeal the International Trade Commission’sdetermination. GE says that it’s initial review of the Commission’s decision indicates errors that provide grounds for an appeal, but at this time, GE is not commenting further on specific issues involved in its appeal.
