Cleantech patents on an upward curve

A total of 274 new patents were filed during the second quarter of 2009 for green and alternative-energy sources, according to a new report from the Clean Energy Patent Growth Index.

This marks the highest quarterly value for the tracking, up from 243 the first quarter of 2009 and 217 in the second quarter of 2008.

The index—published quarterly by the Albany, N.Y.-based law firm Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Meiti’s cleantech practice—indicates innovation trends in the cleantech sector in categories including solar, wind, hybrid/electric vehicles, fuel cells, hydroelectric, tidal/wave, geothermal, biomass/biofuels and other renewable energies.

Of the 274 patents, 156 were in fuel cell technology, up from 42 in the second quarter of 2008. Solar patents totaled 51, compared to 36 last year, while biomass/biofuels had 13, up from five (see Biofuel patents are booming). 

Japan led the geographic areas tracked with 75 granted clean-energy patents, with California coming in second at 29. Some of the other top geographic regions for patents included Germany, Canada, Korea, Michigan, New York and Connecticut.

Among companies that filed patents, Honda had the most for the second consecutive quarter, primarily based on its 14 fuel cell and three hybrid/electric vehicle patents, surpassing General Motors, Toyota and others.

Cleantech developments making news in the past 24 hours

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