Clean Energy Patent Growth Index: August 2009

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 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.

(Download CEPGI 2d quarter 2009)

The granting of patents by the United States Patent and Trademark (PTO) is often cited as a measure of the inventive activity and evidence of the effectiveness of research & development investments. Patents are considered to be such an indicator, because to be awarded a patent, it requires not only the efforts of inventors to develop new and non-obvious innovations but also successful handling by patent counsel to shepherd a patent application through the PTO. Thus, the granting of a patent is an indicator that efforts at innovation have been successful and that an innovation had enough perceived value to justify the time and expense in procuring the patent.

The CEPGI (shown below quarterly) tracks the granting of U.S. patents for the following sub-components: Solar, Wind, Hybrid/electric vehicles, Fuel Cells, Hydroelectric, Tidal/wave, Geothermal, Biomass/biofuels and other clean renewable energy.

(click the image for a larger version)

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 10th 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.

As depicted below, 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 first 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.