Clean Energy Patent Growth Index 2d 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 that the Clean Energy Patent Growth Index reached a new quarterly high at 274 granted U.S. clean energy patents indicating an uptick in innovative activity in the vital clean energy sector.  Fuel cells continued to dominate the other technologies while wind and solar patents continued an upswing.  Honda earned more patents than the other patentees to again claim the Clean Energy Patent Crown. ”

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 second quarter of 2009 reveal the CEPGI to have a value of 274 granted U.S. patents which is the highest quarterly value since the tracking of the CEPGI began, along with being up 31 from the first quarter of 2009 and up from a value of 217 in the second quarter of 2008.  Quarterly results are illustrated in the image corresponding to this document.

The components breakdown of the CEPGI shows fuel cells returning to positive territory with 156 granted patents, up 23 relative to the first quarter and up 42 relative to the second quarter of 2008. Fuel cell patents also continue to dominate the other components in absolute numbers.  Granted wind and solar patents continued their ascent with wind outpacing solar by 7.  Wind (43) patents were up 9 relative to the first quarter and down 5 compared to a year prior.  Solar patents (36) were up 6 compared to the first quarter and up 15 relative the second quarter of 2008.   Hybrid/electric vehicle patents (20) dipped 10 from the first quarter ending a three quarter streak of gains and were up 6 compared to the same period in 2008.  Biofuel patents reached an all time quarterly high at 13 and were up 2 relative to the first quarter and up 8 over a year before.  Geothermal patents (2) tied the first quarter of this year and the second quarter of 2008.   Also, tidal/wave energy granted patents (8) were up 2 over the first quarter and down 2 compared to the same period of the year before.

Honda again took the Clean Energy Patent crown for the second quarter in a row primarily based on its fuel cell (14) and hybrid/electric vehicle (3) patents.  GM was the runner-up with 15 granted clean energy patents in both the fuel cell (12) and hybrid/electric vehicle (3) sectors.  Toyota trailed GM by three and also had granted fuel cell (7) and hybrid/electric vehicle (5) patents.   GE placed fourth on the strength of its wind patents (9) with an assist from fuel cells (2).  Nissan moved from 10^th in the last quarter to fifth with nine fuel cell patents. Panasonic Corp. followed with 5 patents (5 fuel cells) adding to its 12 patents in the first quarter, while only having 6 in the entire seven-year period from 2002-2008.  Ford added five fuel cell patents while Daimler added 4.  Aloys Wobben of Enercon GmbH  had 4 wind patents.  Applied Materials was granted 3 solar patents which were its first granted Clean Energy patents.  Bloom Energy Corporation (previously named Ion America) was granted 3 Fuel cell patents in the second quarter and has 16 earlier fuel cell patents.  

Japan led the geographic areas tracked with 75 granted clean energy patents (up 3 relative to the second quarter and up 10 over 2008) to again claim the geographical clean energy patent crown.  California was second with 29 granted Clean Energy patents, up 10 over the first quarter and up 9 over the second quarter of 2008.  Michigan (up 5 over the first quarter and up 9 over the same period in 2008) and Germany (up 4 over the fist quarter and up 6 over 2008) tied for third at 23 granted patents.  New York had 15 patents dominated by wind (9) and fuel cells (5), and was up 2 over the first quarter and down 5 over the same period of 2008.  Korea (up 6 over the first quarter and 7 over 2008) tied New York at 15 clean energy patents while Canada had 7 patents to tie its first quarter results and up one over the second quarter of last year.  Connecticut trailed Canada with 6 granted clean energy patents but improved on its two patents in the first quarter and 4 from the second quarter of 2008. 

 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.