General Electric Co has fended off a patent lawsuit over its Haliade-X turbines brought by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy A/S in a London court.
Judge Richard Meade of London's High Court on Wednesday said Siemens, which had sued GE claiming that the Haliade-X infringed its European patent related to the use of bearings in rotor hubs for wind turbines, did not have a valid patent.
And even if the patent were valid, Meade said that “neither the fully assembled Haliade-X nor its hub” fell within the scope of Siemens’ patent.
The case marks the latest round of a legal battle between the two major producers of wind turbines, who have previously faced off in a similar case in a U.S. court.
A GE Renewable Energy spokesperson said the ruling reinforced the company’s view that “the technology in the Haliade-X [is] different from other patented technology."
A Siemens Gamesa spokesperson said the company is “analyzing the UK court’s ruling", adding that it is “committed to protecting its valuable intellectual property rights and will continue to do so."
The High Court’s ruling comes after a Boston federal judge in September barred General Electric Co – one of three GE defendants in the separate High Court proceedings – from making and selling its Haliade-X wind turbines in the U.S.
In his ruling, Meade said the U.S. proceedings involved “a related patent” and that Siemens “did not say that the U.S. decision was relevant” to the case in the London.
The case is Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy A/S v GE Energy UK Limited and others, HP-2021-000011.
For Siemens: Iain Purvis KC and Anna Edwards-Stuart of 11 South Square, and Bristows LLP.
For GE: Tom Mitcheson KC, Stuart Baran and Alice Hart of Three New Square, and Hogan Lovells International LLP.
(Reuters - Article by Sam Tobin)