Clean Energy Patent Growth Index 1st Quarter 2009

The CEPGI tracks the granting of patents in the Clean Energy sector and monitors important technological breakthroughs in this field.  Victor Cardona, Co-chair of the firm’s Cleantech Group stated, “we are pleased to announce results for the First Quarter 2009 edition of the Clean Energy Patent Growth Index which illustrate the trend of innovative activity in the vital clean energy sector, and identifies the top patent owners, States and Countries.  Honda led the other patent owners in the first quarter while the number of Clean Energy Patents fell after reaching an all time high in 2008. ”

The Clean Energy Patent Growth Index (CEPGI) provides an indication of the trend of innovative activity in the Clean Energy sector since 2002 in the U.S., along with Leading Patent Owners and Leading Country and State information.  Results from the first quarter of 2009 reveal the CEPGI to have a value of 243 granted U.S. patents which is down eighteen from the fourth quarter of 2008 and up from a value of 220 in the first quarter of 2008.  Quarterly results are illustrated below.

The components breakdown of the CEPGI continues to show fuel cells dominating the other components in absolute numbers.  A downward trend for fuel cells continued for the second consecutive quarter with a decrease of 7 issued fuel cell patents relative to the fourth quarter to 133.  Granted wind (34) and solar patents (30) both fell compared to the fourth quarter with wind patents dropping to a level not seen since 2007 and solar patents returning to a level reached four other times since 2002.  Hybrid/electric vehicle patents rose slightly (up 2 relative to the fourth quarter), and were up for the third quarter in a row, to tie the number of granted solar patents this quarter.  Biofuel patents were up 3 relative to the fourth quarter almost reaching an all time high (off 1), and geothermal patents were up slightly.  Also, tidal/wave energy granted patents dropped five relative to the fourth quarter.

Honda took the Clean Energy Patent crown from GM, the fourth quarter leader, and led clean energy patent owners in the first quarter with 23 granted patents beating out GM and Toyota, both with 13. All three car companies dominated with continued high numbers of patents in fuel cells and smaller numbers in hybrid/electric vehicles. Panasonic Corp. followed with 12 patents (10 in fuel cells, 2 in solar), while only having 6 in the entire seven-year period from 2002-2008.  GE rounded out the top five with 6 more patents (5 in wind, 1 in fuel cells).  Samsung SDI Co. and Aloys Wobben (head of Enercon GmbH) each had 5 patents (fuel cell for Samsung and wind for Enercon).  Also in the top ten were Genedics LLC (2 wind, 2 solar), receiving its first patents in the tracking period of the CEPGI, and Nissan (2 fuel cell, 2 hybrid/electric vehicle).

Japan increased its number of granted clean energy U.S. patents sharply in the first quarter to 78 granted patents (up 16 relative to the fourth quarter) and continued to lead the U.S. states and other countries which have historically contended for the geographical clean energy patent crown.  As is evident from the graphs below, Michigan was down  (-8 relative to the fourth quarter) to 16 at a level last seen in 2005 followed by New York down 6 to 13 as last seen in 2005.  Germany was down 4 relative to the fourth quarter at 19 issued clean energy patents and California held steady at 19, equal to the fourth quarter.  South Korea was up three relative to the fourth quarter at 9 granted clean energy patents.  Canada fell to 7, down 2.  Connecticut fell to the lowest level since the first quarter of 2002 at two issued clean energy patents.

Further information regarding the CEPGI is available at www.cleanenergypatentgrowthindex.com.  Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti P.C. is dedicated exclusively to representing clients in the protection and commercialization of intellectual property, both domestic and foreign, including patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. The firm has gained national recognition in the area of Intellectual Property Law and was listed among the “Top Patent Firms” and “Top Trademark Firms” in Intellectual Property Law Today.