GE Asks Judge to Dismiss Mitsubishi Wind Turbine Lawsuit

Aug. 10, 2010 -- In U.S. District Court on Monday in Little Rock, Ark., General Electric requested that a lawsuit by Mitsubishi be dismissed or delayed.

Mitsubishi has initiated a court challenge questioning GE's patent rights for wind turbine technology, a technology Mitsubishi plans to use in its new wind turbine manufacturing facility in Fort Smith, Ark., which is slated to open next year.

GE lawyer David Lender said the company's patents protect its proprietary variable-speed turbine technology and that cases pending in Texas would confirm its patents are valid, rendering Mitsubishi's suit in Arkansas moot.

Mitsubishi lawyer Filibero Agusti said other companies own similar technology that that Mitsubishi would show that at least one of GE's patents is invalid. He said Mitsubishi has gone from $2 billion in annual U.S. sales of variable-speed turbines to nearly nothing since GE filed suit alleging infringement on two patents.

Mitsubishi accuses GE of having an illegal monopoly with its 70 percent share of the U.S. market for variable-speed wind turbines.

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