While moves to develop an EU patent have intensified with the Belgian presidency, which believes it can reach a consensus by the end of the year, a new study shows that three European countries are among the six nations dominating innovation in the clean energy sector.
According to a comprehensive new study by the European
Patent Office (EPO), Germany, France and the UK join Japan, the US and South
Korea in leading the emerging green tech revolution, filing 80% of all patent
applications in the field.
EPO Chief Benoît Battistelli said China, India and Brazil
are catching up quickly and have ramped up their efforts in niche clean tech
sectors. China is now the major player in the wind energy sector, despite
having published very few patents in this industry until five years ago.
"In wind energy, China has gone from being nowhere five
years ago to being the leading player globally. For India and Brazil,
photovoltaic technology and hydropower are the major sources of patents,"
said Battistelli.
Political signal sparks green innovation
The study by the EPO, the UN Environment Programme, and the
International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development, reveals a surge in
new patent applications in the clean energy sector following the Kyoto
protocol.
Battistelli said political signals can help spur investment
by industry in low-carbon technology, arguing that a future deal on climate
mitigation could generate a new wave of innovation in the energy sector.
"The key message is that the policy and regulatory
framework influences how businesses invest. In all environmental issues the
market is decided by the regulatory framework. The market needs to be
framed," he said.
Meanwhile, the Belgian presidency tabled a non-paper aimed
at breaking the deadlock over proposals for asingle EU-wide patent system.
The paper was discussed at the Competitiveness
Councilyesterday (30 September), where the majority of member states
recognised the importance of an urgent solution and sided with the text drawn
up by the European Commission at the end of June, reads apresidency statement. But
a small minority of countries still had remarks concerning this text or
formulated a counterproposal.
The EPO study, published yesterday (September 30), provides
details of where green-industry patents are held and whether they are licensed.
Battistelli says there is willingness in the industry to offer more flexible
terms to low-income countries.
Technology transfer continues to be a key issue in climate
talks and the EPO plans to take its study to the next round of negotiations in
Cancun later this year. The data compiled as part of the study is availablefree
onlineand will be updated daily.
"This kind of information has become central to climate
negotiations where the role of patents is controversial – many people consider
patents an obstacle to technology transfer. But until now, the discussion has
not been based on hard data. This study will feed into the debate on climate
change and technology transfer, said the EPO chief.
Battistelli said some see patents as a brake on the
dissemination of innovations in the clean tech sector.