New data from Lewis Silkin, a British law firm, reveals that patent applications for green innovations reached a record high in 2023. The information, obtained through a Freedom of Information request, shows that applications via the UK Intellectual Property Office’s (UKIPO) Green Channel have surged over 300% since its inception. More than 5,000 applications have been filed through the Green Channel, which was introduced in 2009 to expedite the processing of patents with environmental benefits.
Between 2022 and 2023, there was a 12% increase in Green Channel patent applications compared to a 2.5% rise in overall patent applications. The number of patents granted under this scheme also hit a record high of 327. The upward trend in Green Channel patents is expected to continue, with the first half of 2024 suggesting the potential for a record year.
The ratio of patents granted to applications filed year on year has been relatively steady – averaging 57% between 2018 and 2023. This is slightly higher than the grant-to-application ratio for patents overall (43% in the same period), and may be indicative of a slightly improved success rate for inventions that qualify for the Green Channel.
Since 2009, over 1,000 Green Channel requests have been made by non-UK applicants (defined as those requests which have at least one non-UK applicant at the time of filing).
Jonathan Hewett, partner at Lewis Silkin, noted the significant rise in Green Channel applications in 2023, highlighting the scheme’s role in accelerating the commercialisation of green technologies. He emphasised that the Green Channel benefits a range of environmentally friendly innovations beyond just renewable energy and waste management. “Applications have predominantly been made by UK entities, but non-UK innovators are also choosing to use the Green Channel to protect their green inventions. When comparing the numbers of applications to patents granted over the longer term, the data suggests there may be a slightly higher chance of a Green Channel application being approved,-but overall the primary incentive remains speed,” he said.
Hewett added, “Getting appropriate IP protections in place can be crucial to securing investment, as well as commercialising the invention. With so much interest in green technologies, both politically and from the markets, speed to market is critical. Importantly, the Green Channel is not only for renewable energy or waste management inventions. Any invention which has an environmental benefit is potentially suitable – ranging from battery storage to decarbonised manufacturing or mechanical processes.”
The UK was the first country to launch a fast-track scheme for green patents. The new government has already made unlocking innovation and investment in green technologies a central pledge and this may well see the Green Channel continue to increase in prominence.
According to the World Intellectual Property Office, about one-third of existing patent families worldwide are related to the global Sustainable Development Goals, underscoring the importance of protecting and commercialising green innovations.