WIPO launches tool to facilitate green tech patent searches

WIPO launched on September 16, 2010, an on-line tool associated with the International Patent Classification (IPC) that will facilitate searches for patent information relating to so-called Environmentally Sound Technologies (ESTs) to help in identifying existing and emerging green technologies and potential partners for further R&D and commercial exploitation.

The inventory, “ IPC Green Inventory”, contains some 200 topics that are directly relevant to ESTs.  Each topic is linked with the most relevant IPC symbols, chosen by experts from the world. 

The IPC Green Inventory is based on a list of technological terms listed by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) . The inventory is hyperlinked to WIPO’s PATENTSCOPE® search service to automatically search and show all the “Green” international applications of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). The IPC Green Inventory will also help researchers and industry to avoid duplicative R&D and investment for what has already been developed to mitigate the global climate change.