Energy-Saving News

Climate Change Technology Transfers Will Explode With New Green Patent Database

Posted on 07. May, 2010 by Ross in Europe, New Technologies

Climate change is a global problem which needs global solutions, but the myriad of green patents which could help developing countries in their attempts to control emissions and utilise renewable energy are littered across multiple databease and are increasing in number exponentially, making tracking down rights holders an impossible task.

Until now.

The European Patent Office (EPO) has now developed an extensive, free global database of 600,000 green patents in a bid to allow clearer insights for businesses, policy-makers and scientists. By re-classifying the patents into 160 green technology categories such as solar power, carbon capture and wind turbines, the new EPO green patent database will simplify the technology transfer process.

Technology transfer from developed nations to developing countries was a key commitment examined at Copenhagen, but the inaccessibility of patent databases has proven to be a major political stumbling block in international negotiations. The new green patent database will help track down relevant patent holders faster in order to attempt to secure licences.

Whilst a few companies like Somar International have realised the business case for technology transfer for climate change, most are still religiously clinging to their intellectual property. Until stronger agreements are made on technology transfers, it is hard to see how the developing world will be able to develop without turning to fossil fuels, or how there will ever be global agreement on climate change action.

Image by kevindooley @ Flickr

Related posts:

1. The Low-Carbon Patent Land-grab: Bad News For Technology Transfer?
2. Wind Power Wars: What Hope Now For Technology Transfers
3. Copenhagen Conundrum 6: Technology Transfer v Green Jobs
4. Ricoh Joins Eco-Patents Commons
5. South Korea Invests $85 Billion In Green Technology

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Tags: patent, technology transfer