A jury in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas has issued a verdict in a patent-infringement case filed by GE against Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
The court found that GE's U.S. patent 7,629,705 – which relates to zero-voltage ride-through technology that helps wind turbines remain connected to the grid when voltage drops to zero – was valid and infringed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and its U.S. affiliate Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas Inc.
The court ruled that Mitsubishi must pay damages of approximately $170 million to GE.
"GE firmly believes that protecting our intellectual property rights is the foundation for innovation, investing in high technology industries and creating high-value jobs," GE spokesperson Chet Lasell said in a statement. "This is certainly true in the wind industry, which holds the hope and the potential for a cleaner energy future."
