Clean Energy Patent Growth Index: June 2008

The CLEAN ENERGY PATENT GROWTH INDEX (CEPGI), published quarterly by the Cleantech Group at Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti P.C, provides an indication of the trend of innovative activity in the Clean Energy sector. Results from the first quarter of 2008 reveal the CEPGI to have a value of 220 granted U.S. patents which is down from a value of 227 in the fourth quarter of 2007 and down from a value of 228 in the first quarter of 2007. (Please click on the charts below for larger versions)

The long term trend for the components of the CEPGI show Fuel Cells continuing to dominate the other components, but are down relative to the last quarter and one year earlier. Granted wind patents continue to trend upwardly after a third quarter drop. Hybrid/electric vehicle patents continue their downward trend begun in early 2007. Also, solar energy patents dipped relative to the last quarter and trend downwardly.

Tidal/wave energy granted patents reached a high last seen in 2004 while geothermal patents reached a new high.

Honda had the most new granted clean energy patents (16) in the first quarter followed by a second place tie between General Electric (11) and General Motors (11). Also, automotive companies dominate the top ten with Nissan, Toyota, and Hyundai in the fourth, fifth, and sixth spots, and with Ford in the tenth.

An analysis was also performed of several of the U.S. states and countries with the largest number of clean energy patents historically. Graphs depicting the trend of patents in these states and countries are depicted below. As is evident from the charts, Japan continued to lead the other contenders in the first quarter but dropped slightly from the fourth quarter. Michigan, California, Connecticut and Germany also dropped slightly while New York and Canada had more issued patents than in the fourth quarter.