Spotlight on Green Tech

As society pushes towards a circular economy we are inspired and motivated by the commercially-focused innovation taking place across a diverse range of technologies. Industries are finding new ways to support the creation of sustainable solutions and are set to tackle our shared universal challenge to slow down global warming and reduce the green-house effect. The ongoing drive for combatting climate change is not only encouraging growth in existing ‘green’ sectors but is also leading to the development of entirely new fields.

Whilst the challenge is huge, so too is the opportunity for innovators to find new and more efficient ways to replace existing technologies and processes with eco-friendly ones and play their part in stemming climate change.

Innovation in this space is in everyone's best interest and even small changes can have a large-term impact. More is needed though; the innovation must deliver to the market real-world solutions that are embraced by consumers and can be embedded into the mainstream.

Whichever way you choose to embrace green technology the innovation that matters now will be the innovation that makes a positive impact.

Forward-looking ideas are to be celebrated as the demand for sustainable solutions grows. By building sustainability into innovation, companies can create products, services, and processes that are good for both society and their business. Embracing sustainable innovation is vital for a company’s survival and growth. Bold transformation is required and sustainably-minded businesses are set to change the future.

Here are just some of the exciting areas of sustainable innovation we are proud to be working in.

Sustainable food sources

Future food technology, and the cellular agriculture movement in particular, has the potential to contribute meaningfully towards addressing the challenges we face as a growing population – from the environmental crisis to global threats to public health – in an ethical manner. We expect an explosion of patent filings as innovative companies in this space arrive at the solutions for bringing foodstuffs based on novel technologies to market. Read more on our Future Food spotlight page.

The circular plastics economy

To have a meaningful impact on reducing emissions we must push on all fronts utilising starting materials from sustainable sources, processing those materials using renewable energy, and seeking to maximise the value of those starting materials through incentivising reuse and recycling. Read more on our Polymers spotlight page.

Battery innovation

Battery technology is going to play a vital role in the reduction of greenhouse emissions. Enabling this requires an amalgamation of innovative research; assistance and funding for commercialisation and government incentives. Read more on our Energy Storage spotlight page.

Green materials

The potential of 2D materials is seemingly endless, with new uses and products appearing daily. New techniques, using alternative carbon sources, show the wide range of avenues still available for exploration. Whether through improving the reusability of waste products, reducing emissions, or removing pollutants, 2D materials such as graphene have a lot to offer emerging green technology. Read more on our 2D Materials spotlight page.

AI and IoT

The fourth industrial revolution is accelerating technological change at a previously unseen rate, with artificial intelligence (AI) and the internet of things (IoT) at the forefront of the changes. These technologies are rapidly changing the way we live, and the way we interact with each other and our environment. They have a vital role to play in our pursuit for a more environmentally sustainable future. Read more of our blogs on this topic.

Future mobility

Increasing urbanisation and the growth of mega-cities provides the conditions for change in mobility patterns and practices. New ways of transporting people or products around cities are seen as vital with environmental concerns surrounding sustainability leading governments to encourage the introduction of cleaner technologies and more efficient use of the transport infrastructure. Read more on our Future Mobility spotlight page.

Our report examines the role of patents in making innovative ‘green’ technologies into a reality as well as how the patent landscape can be used to identify opportunities for partnering, collaboration and investment.

We share our enthusiasm and admiration for commercially-focused innovation across a diverse range of technologies, from repurposing carbon dioxide to make protein-rich foods, to the multi-faceted approach to a circular plastics economy. We also discuss the tantalising prospect of AI-mediated renewable energy supply, and the harnessing of battery tech from the EV boom to drive energy efficiency in consumer devices. This report reflects our passion for technology solutions that tackle our shared global challenge.

Fast-tracking grant of green-tech patents

The UKIPO’s Green Channel was introduced back in mid-2009 for patent applications “having an environmental benefit”. The Green Channel allows applicants – on written, reasoned request – to accelerate all or some of the search, examination, and publication procedures, without charging an official fee. It remains consistently popular with UK applicants, and appears to live up to a goal of fast-tracking grant of green-tech patents.

If you want to find out more about The UKIPO’s Green Channel scheme please get in touch with one of our experts below.