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 2010 reveal the CEPGI to have a value of 379 granted U.S. patents which is the highest quarterly value since the tracking of the
CEPGI began, along with being up 42 from the fourth quarter of 2009 and up from a value of 243 in the first quarter of 2009.
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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.
The components breakdown of the CEPGI shows fuel cells, solar and hybrid/electric vehicles at record levels while wind patents fell. Fuel cells were up 20
granted patents relative to the fourth quarter at 208 and continue to dominate the other components of the CEPGI in absolute numbers. Granted solar patents
(67) topped wind (35) for two straight quarters for the first time since 2005. Solar patents were up 11 compared to the fourth quarter of 2010 and up 37
relative the first quarter of 2009. Wind patents were down 9 relative to the fourth quarter and up 1 compared to a year prior. Hybrid/electric vehicle
patents (50) were up 17 from the fourth quarter for a third quarter of gains in a row and up 20 over the first quarter of 2009. Biofuel patents (13) were
down 2 from a record high in the fourth quarter and up 3 over a year prior.
Honda returned to form taking the quarterly Clean Energy Patent crown from General Motors primarily based on its fuel cell (29) patents along with one solar
patent. GM was on Honda’s heels with 28 patents of primarily fuel cells supplemented by 4 Hybrid/electric patents and 3 solar patents. Samsung came in
third for the first time based on fuel cell patents (18), solar energy (2) and wind energy (1). Toyota and Ford followed with 12 and 11 patents
respectively. Both included hybrid/electric patents to which Toyota added fuel cell patents and Ford added solar patents. Nissan took fifth place with 7
hybrid/electric and 2 solar patents. GE had 5 wind and 2 fuel cell patents. Panasonic added 6 fuel cell patents and Hitachi 3 fuel cell and 3 wind.
Toshiba (5 fuel cell), newcomer to the CEPGI, ISE Corporation of California (a maker of hybrid/electric drive systems), (5 hybrid/electric), United
Technologies (4 fuel cell, 1 solar), and Hyundai (1 fuel cell, 4 hybrid/electric) all had 5 granted clean energy patents.
As depicted below in the geographic charts, Japan held steady relative to the fourth quarter at 96 granted clean energy patents to again lead the geographic
areas tracked, which is up 18 over the same period in 2009, to again claim the geographical clean energy patent crown. Michigan was second with 47 granted
Clean Energy patents, up 11 over the fourth quarter and up 29 over the first quarter of 2009. California was at 38 granted patents, up 14 over the fourth
quarter, and up 19 over the same period a year ago. Korea jumped to fourth place at 31 patents, up 8 over the last quarter, and up 22 over the same period
last year. Germany dropped to fifth place at 29, up 5 over the fourth quarter and up 10 over a year ago. New York had 11 patents, which is down 8 from the
fourth quarter and down 2 over the same period of 2009. Connecticut had 7 granted clean energy patents, up 2 from the fourth quarter, and up 5 over the
first quarter of 2008. Canada trailed with 5 patents, down 2 from the fourth quarter results, and down 2 over the first quarter of last year.
Trend lines by quarter through the first quarter of 2010 for the CEPGI and for each of the CEPGI components are depicted below:
CEPGI yearly totals through 2009 are depicted below:
The
CEPGI is updated quarterly and is occasionally supplemented with related
articles posted on www.cleanenergypatentgrowthindex.com
or http://www.cepgi.com/
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