GE loses US patent dispute with Siemens Gamesa

Recent ruling against GE could hobble offshore wind profits in the US, but uncertainty remains over the possibility of further litigation in other markets

A recent patent dispute between wind turbine manufacturers could eat into GE’s revenue from its offshore wind business in the US. Spain’s Siemens Gamesa received a favourable ruling against GE in a federal court in Massachusetts this month. A jury in Boston found that GE infringed on one of the turbine manufacturer’s patents related to the structural support of large offshore wind turbines, awarding Siemens Gamesa a royalty rate of $30,000/MW. An earlier ruling in the case held that patent law would apply to wind turbines installed on the outer continental shelf of the US. “Fair and legal competition is vital to the success of the renewable energy industry, both in the US and around the worl