Green Energy Intellectual Property Attorneys

Our patent attorneys are at the forefront of innovation in sustainable energy technologies. We secure intellectual property protection for a wide range of companies and inventors in green energy. Below is an outline of the fields we work in and our approach to pursuing intellectual property in each.

 

Green energy patent attorneys at Maucher Jenkins

 

Green energy is an interdisciplinary field calling for experts in electrical engineering, electro-chemistry, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering and biotechnology. We have patent attorneys with experience in all these different disciplines, and we can bring together a team of specialists tailored to your particular technology.

 

We conduct invention harvesting sessions to identify and refine ideas on the cusp of this rapidly advancing technology front. Our team will guide you through the process of obtaining a granted patent: from researching the existing technology; the drafting and filing of the patent application; through to the grant and licensing or enforcement of your patent. We combine in-depth knowledge of patent and intellectual property processes with an expert understanding of cutting edge green energy technologies. You can be confident that our team is one of the best on the market.

 

The importance of green energy innovation

 

The wide-ranging impact of climate change and increased industrialisation has been observed and recognised by scientists worldwide; affecting many areas, including agriculture, water resource management, health, tourism, land-based and water-based ecosystems, and environmental disaster management. The Paris Agreement is an international treaty on climate change adopted by 196 parties in 2015 with the goal of limiting global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels. While there is still much more work to be done, since coming into force, law-carbon solutions and green technology solutions have grown. To meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, green energy initiatives will be needed to deliver the largest part of atmospheric CO₂ reduction, including:

 

• renewable energy sources (wind, solar etc.);
• more efficient energy distribution, including
• smart grids,
• smart homes, and
• short-term energy storage;
• heat pumps in place of domestic gas heating; and
• converting transport to electricity and hydrogen.

 

There will also be a longer term need for major carbon capture and storage as well as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage.

At Maucher Jenkins, we have patent attorneys with experience in the following areas:

 

Patenting renewable energy technology

 

In 2019 the European Patent Office and the German Patent and Trademark Office published over 1,000 patent applications concerning solar technology, wind generators, hydro power, geothermal energy and biogas technology. There growing interest in this area reflected by an increase in patent applications of almost 10% from the previous year.

 

Our intellectual property professionals have two decades of experience in filing patent applications for a variety of wind, solar and other technologies as renewable energy sources.

 

For example we have worked with a client in the kinetic energy space to file 3 worldwide patent applications for technology relating to the functioning of wind turbines.

 

IP protection for energy distribution and smart grids

 

While obtaining energy from renewable sources is an important part of reducing our emissions, it is also necessary to improve our energy usage and distribution.

 

We manage a large portfolio of worldwide patents and applications for an industry leader in smart grid technology. More specifically, we have worked on the following patents with this client:

• 'Cyclical power distribution control system’
• 'Thermal load with improved responsiveness’
• ‘Optimisation of power asset control’

 

Smart grids and smart homes are a rich area of innovation and are closely related to the development of 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT). Our attorneys are leaders in patenting Artificial Intelligence technology and the use of connected devices in our homes.

 

You can find more research on IoT at this link: IoT Lights Up 

 

Patent attorneys for green energy storage

 

Energy storage will pay a big part in decarbonising transport and the electricity grid. We have experts in battery storage, electrolytic hydrogen generation and fuel cells.

 

The EPO has published a report showing that, in 2011, innovation in battery technology for transport and fixed storage overtook innovation into portable battery applications. The decade of battery investment in 2000-2010 creates the foundation for these new purposes.

 

Click here for our summary of that report: Sevenfold increase in battery technology patenting at the EPO

 

We work with a market leader in the field of fuel cells and have filed a number of patent applications for their industry-leading technology.

 

Patenting energy production from municipal waste

 

Disposing of waste in landfill sites is not considered a desired option, with alternatives such as reuse, recycling and recovery being more environmentally friendly.  The efficiency of recovering energy from waste is dependent on the plant used, as so, efforts are being made to improve the efficiency of processes used in those plants.  Our attorneys have 10+ years experience in protecting various aspects of Advanced Thermal Treatment systems, from the production of syngas to reducing the amount of unwanted particulates in syngas.

 

More information can be found on Gov.uk here:

 

Energy from waste 

 

Waste and resources strategy

 

Intellectual property for vehicles

 

Improving the efficiency of a vehicle can mean the amount of energy required to move the vehicle can be reduced.  Our attorneys have worked with a variety of technologies aimed at improving vehicle efficiency, from tyre pressure and profile regulation to variable pitch propellers and waste-heat recovery systems for ships.

 

With increasing concerns about emissions, electric vehicles (EVs) are quickly becoming the norm. In the UK, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) has called for all new, light-duty vehicles to be fully battery-electric by 2032 at the latest. EVs have substantially lower greenhouse gas emissions than conventional ICE vehicles, even when taking into account the current sources for the electricity needed to charge them and the resources needed for battery production. Our attorneys have experience with a variety of technologies used in EVs, including battery materials, production and charging, vehicle navigation systems, and vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

 

Green energy intellectual property protection funding

 

European Union

On 03 June 2020 the European Commission launched the first call for proposals under the Innovation Fund, which is one of the world’s largest programmes for the demonstration of innovative low-carbon technologies. The first call will provide grant funding of €1 billion to market-ready projects in green technology. A separate budget is set aside for promising projects which are not yet ready for the market.

 

Further details can be found here: European Commission green recovery 

 

United Kingdom

For further information about EU and UK funding for climate mitigating technologies, please see our article on:

COVID-19 and European Innovation

 

 

The Green Channel for patent applications in the UK

 

The International Property Office of the UK has introduced the so-called Green Channel allowing accelerated processing of patent applications for inventions having a demonstrated environmental benefit. Please contact us if this is of interest. Accelerated prosecution and grant is important if you are interested in tax relief under the Patent Box:

Patent Box: Reduced corporation tax for companies with patent protection