GE Renewable Energy is facing a ban on US sales of a version of its flagship Haliade-X offshore wind turbine that was found to breach a patent owned by rival OEM Siemens Gamesa under the terms of an eleventh-hour legal deal struck yesterday (Thursday).

The arrangement – which is still subject to final approval by the judge presiding over the case and that can be appealed by either company – follows GE’s partial loss of a patent infringement case that could have major implications for some of America’s lead-off offshore wind projects.