World scenario of green patents: Perspectives and strategies for the development of eco-innovations

摘要

The purpose of the present research was to analyze the global scenario for green patents connected with waste management areas, alternative energies, agriculture, transportation, energy conservation and the prospecting about hybrid cars. The patents analyzed were filed from 1979 to 2011. The data collection method consisted of a technological forecast about the Green Technologies. The research was carried out on the patent base Derwent Innovations Index from Web of Science. Only, 123 Green Technology patents were found in nine countries, including the United States, China, Russia, Germany, Spain, Australia, Canada, Britain and Taiwan. Indeed, 727 technological patents related to hybrid cars in sixteen countries including the United States, Japan, Germany, Spain, France, Russia, India, South Korea, Britain, Canada, Austria, Belgium, Holland and Hungary were found. The United States is leader in the ranking of Green Technologies and in hybrid car patents. However, countries such as Japan, China and Germany demonstrated a considerable increase. This study contributes toward other studies that focus on the acceleration of decisions in applications for inventive patents and aims to identify new technologies which can be quickly used by the productive sector and universities stimulating the licensing and encouraging the innovation in many countries.