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 third quarter of 2008 reveal the CEPGI to have a value of 230 granted U.S. patents which is up thirteen from the second quarter of 2008 and up from a value of 211 in the third quarter of 2007. (Click for a downloadable version of this post.)
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The components breakdown of the CEPGI continues to show fuel cells dominating the other components in absolute numbers. A downward trend for fuel cells was reversed with an increase of 38 issued fuel cell patents relative to the second quarter, returning to a level (152) last seen in 2006. Granted wind (32) and solar patents (13) both fell compared to the second quarter while hybrid/electric vehicle patents (25) reversed a long decline. Also, tidal/wave energy granted patents (4) reversed a three-month upward trend.
GM led clean energy patent owners with 17 taking the lead from GE, the leader in the second quarter, based a surge in fuel cell patents with an assist from hybrid/electric vehicle patents. GE was tied with Honda at 12. GE’s patents (9 of 12) were overwhelmingly wind power related while Honda’s granted patents (9 of 12) like GM were predominantly fuel cell related. Toyota with 7 patents followed the leaders based primarily (6 of 7) on its fuel cell patents and Ford was tied with Toyota due to a unified showing of hybrid/electric patents. Matsushita Electric also tied Toyota and Ford based on a fuel cell only showing. Hewlett-Packard entered the top ten with 5 fuel cell patents. Rounding out the top ten were more fuel cell patents issued to Plug Power, UTC Power and Delphi Technologies.
As depicted in the graphs below, Japan with 57 granted patents (down 8 from the second quarter) continued to lead the U.S. states and other countries which have historically contended for the geographical clean energy patent crown. As is evident from the graphs, Michigan was up sharply with 29 (versus 13 in the second quarter) followed by New York at 21, up 1. Germany had seventeen issued clean energy patents equal to the second quarter and California was down 5 at 15. Canada rounded out the field at 5, down 1.
Coming soon, the 2008 wrap up edition of the CEPGI will provide year end totals along with more detailed geographic and patent owner information.
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Trend lines by quarter through the second quarter of 2008 for the CEPGI and for each of the CEPGI components are depicted below:
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CEPGI yearly totals through 2007 are depicted below:
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Please contact us at info@cleanenergypatentgrowthindex.com if you have any questions or would like us to email you when we have updated this page or the CEPGI.
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