2010 Clean Energy Patents at NEW High- Clean Energy Patent Growth Index

Albany, NYHeslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti P.C. is pleased to announce the 2010 year end, and 4th quarter, results for the Clean Energy Patent Growth Index (CEPGI) by the firm's Cleantech Group.Victor Cardona, Co-chair of the firmThe CEPGI tracks the granting of patents in the Clean Energy sector and monitors important technological breakthroughs in this field.  Victor Cardona, Co-chair of the firm’s Cleantech Group  stated, “we are pleased to announce that results for the Clean Energy Patent Growth Index indicate that Clean Energy Patents hit a record high in 2010, up over 700 patents relative to  2009.  GM took the yearly Clean Energy Patent Crown from Honda  in 2010 while U.S. patent owners hold more U.S. patents than any other country.  Also, solar patents passed wind patents in 2010 while fuel cells continued to lead.”

The Clean Energy Patent Growth Index (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 through the fourth quarter of 2010 reveal the CEPGI for 2010 to be at its highest level ever at 1181 granted patents, up over 170 percent, as depicted below. This is the largest year to year jump since we began tracking clean energy patents by over three times the previous year to year difference.  This compares to a 31 percent increase generally for all patents from 2009 to 2010 - which was the best showing ever for patents generally.  Clean energy innovation is clearly far outpacing technology in general.

As depicted in the below breakdown of the CEPGI by its sub-components, patents in fuel cells and wind were each up over fifty seven percent over 2009. Solar patents were up an astounding 134 percent while hybrid/electric vehicles were up sixty percent. Tidal energy and biomass/biofuel energy patents were up twenty eight and forty one percent, respectively, at fourteen patents each. Hydroelectric patents were up sixteen patents, an over five hundred percent increase. Geothermal patents was the only sector that decreased at five less patents than 2009, a fifty percent decrease. All of the technology sectors, except geothermal, were at all time highs in 2010, surpassing all previous records.