Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti P.C. announced the results for 3Q13 for the Clean Energy Patent Growth Index (CEPGI) by the firm’s Cleantech Group. Solar patents led Fuel Cell patents for the second straight quarter as the upward trajectory of Solar continued to dominate the other sectors. Longtime leader Fuel Cells again lagged. GM and Toyota continued their quarterly seesawing with GM taking the quarterly Clean Energy patent Crown back from Toyota.
Victor Cardona, Co-chair of the firm’s Cleantech Group stated, “Solar patents led Fuel Cell patents for the second straight quarter as Solar continued to dominate the other sectors. GM and Toyota continued their quarterly seesawing with GM taking the quarterly Clean Energy patent Crown back from Toyota. The US led all countries in granted US clean energy patents. Of countries and US states, Japan led California followed by Korea, Michigan, Germany, New York, and Taiwan- the only change being Korea and Michigan switching spots.”
CEPGI provides an indication of the trend of innovative activity in the Clean Energy sector since 2002 in the U.S., along with Leading Patent Owners and Leading Country and State information. Results from the third quarter of 2013 reveal the CEPGI to have a value of 757 granted U.S. patents, which are 8 lower than the previous quarter and 41 lower than one year prior. GM was granted the highest number of clean energy patents for the third quarter, taking the quarterly lead back from Toyota. Solar patents again led the other technology sectors Quarterly results are illustrated below:
 |
| Photo Credit: Cleantech Group |
Solar patents fell 21 from the second quarter but again topped Fuel Cell patents to put the nail in the coffin of the longtime leader which had been the leading technology sector in the CEPGI - back to 2002 - before being toppled by Solar patents in the second quarter. Fuel Cells still lead Wind patents in the third quarter by 51 patents.
Hybrid-Electric Vehicle patents was a big winner in the third quarter - up 14 to 108 patents granted. Biofuel/Biomass patents had the biggest jump of the various technologies with 17 more patents than the previous quarter at 64 which is the most quarterly patents for this sector since tracking of the CEPGI began in 2002. Geothermal patents were down five compared to the second quarter and down one versus a year ago. Other Alternative Energy patents jumped seven to 16 and were up five over the year before.
Seesawing back and forth, GM had 40 clean energy patents and retook the quarterly clean energy patent crown from Toyota which had taken the quarterly crown from GM the quarter before. There are still more details on the website about the patents granted in 3Q13 and the comparison: www.cleanenergypatentgrowthindex.com
Clean Energy patents and individual U.S. states had 151 patents in clean energy, up four from the previous quarter and down 61 from the same period a year prior. Japan again took the quarterly geographical Clean Energy patent crown over runner up California (70), which was down 16 from the previous quarter and down 13 from the third quarter of 2012. Korea (69) took third place switching spots with fourth place Michigan (61). Korea jumped 18 patents compared to last quarter and was up 15 over a year ago. Michigan fell 11 versus the second quarter but was up 11 from the third quarter of 2012.
Germany (55) again topped New York (34) and Taiwan (31) in clean energy patents, but by a bigger (over 20) margin than last quarter. Massachusetts (18) switched spots with its cross-country rival Texas (16) and led Denmark (15), Spain (14), China (13), New Jersey (12), Illinois (12), Ohio (11), France (10) and Switzerland (10) in clean energy patents in the third quarter of 2013. More detailed information regarding the CEPGI, including an analysis of each of the technology sectors and geographic breakdowns, is available at www.cleanenergypatentgrowthindex.com.