CLEAN ENERGY PATENTS HIT RECORD HIGH IN 2009 -Clean Energy Patent Growth Index

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 results for the Clean Energy Patent Growth Index indicate that Clean Energy Patents hit a record high in 2009, up almost 200 over 2008.  Honda again had the most Clean Energy patents in 2008 while U.S. patent owners hold more U.S. patents than any other country.  Also, solar patents gained on, and almost equaled, wind patents in 2009.”

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 through the fourth quarter of 2009 reveal the CEPGI for 2009 to be at its highest level in the eight year period of its tracking at 1125 granted patents, up over 20 percent, as depicted below.

As depicted below in the breakdown of the CEPGI by its sub-components , patents in fuel cells and hybrid/electric vehicles were each up over twenty percent over 2008 with solar patents up sixty percent and biomass/biofuel energy patents up two hundred sixty percent.  Fuel Cells, wind, and biomass/biofuel energy patents were also at all time highs in 2009.  In contrast, hydroelectric and tidal patents decreased in 2009 while geothermal patents were up only one patent over the year prior. 

Honda again claimed the Clean Energy Patent crown in 2009 by edging General Motors out by four patents. Honda leads overall since 2002 and automobile companies occupy 5 of the top ten patent leader spots since 2002. GE made the top ten in 2009 continuing its strong showing in clean energy patents having over twice the patents of its nearest wind patent competitor, Aloys Wobben, the owner of Enercon GmbH of Germany. Samsung beat out the other non-automotive fuel cell patents holders with Panasonic and Toshiba not far behind. Canon, far and away the solar photovoltaic patent leader, missed the top ten in 2009 and was the only solar patent holder even close. Of additional note, relative to 2009, Panasonic had 29 clean energy patents after having had only 6 in all the prior years. Further, Genedics had 8 clean energy patents in 2009 after having none in the years prior.

Geographically, US patent owners held far more US clean energy patents than any other individual country in 2009. However, Japanese entities were granted sixty five percent of the US total while German patent owners had eighteen percent of the US amount. Korea and Taiwan also overtook Canada for the fourth and fifth spots in 2009.

Looking at the U.S. data in more detail, Michigan edged California by three clean energy patents to claim the top spot for U.S. states. New York and Massachusetts had sixty and thirty percent, respectively, of California’s total while Connecticut, Texas, New Jersey, Florida, Ohio and Washington had between 10 and 18 percent of the amount granted to California entities.

Further information regarding the CEPGI is available at http://www.cepgi.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.