The growing importance of technology associated with Renewable Energies is reflected by the high number of information requests received by the SPTO on patents in this industry.

Requests for information come primarily from public organisms because of the public obligation towards Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies, without forgetting that Spain occupies an important position among European countries committed to this technology.

The SPTO has conducted a detailed study on inventions originating in Spain that have been protected at the national and European level within the Industry of Renewable Energies.

Characteristics from the Study:

• Period of Study : 2000-2008

• Region:
  At the national level: requests published on interventions (patents and utility models) by residents in Spain.
  At the European level: requests published on European patents originating in Spain.

• Industries: According to Directives from the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) and CERNA-AFD (Center for Industrial Economics and the French Development Agency), the following are considered to be Renewable Energies:

 

Summary of Conclusions:

• At the Global level: According to the OECD and the European Patent Office (EPO), the European Union (36.7%) is the region with the most patents in the area of Renewable Energies, followed by the United States (20.2%) and Japan (19.8%).

• At the European level : Spain occupies 4 th place behind Germany, Denmark and the United Kingdom.

• Spanish Situation at the European level:
Number of applications : The growth of European patent applications originating in Spain during the period studied has been spectacular, going from 1 in the year 2000 to 59 in 2008.
Industries: Wind power represents 52% of the applications, followed by Solar energy (30%) and Ocean energy (7%).
Autonomous Communities: Navarra occupies first place with 28% of all applications, followed by Catalonia (18%) and Madrid (16%).
Applicants: 96% are companies and 4% are Official Organisms.

• Spanish Situation at the national level:
Number of applications: the growth of inventions in the Renewable Energies industry by residents in Spain has gone from 37 applications in the year 2000 to 150 in the year 2008, resulting in growth of 305% during this period.
Industries: In terms of renewable energies, Solar energy has the highest volume of inventions, representing 54% of total inventions in the year 2008, followed by Wind power with 28%.

• Autonomous Communities:
Period 2000-2008: Catalonia has the most inventions (19%), followed by Madrid (18%).
Year 2008: The Basque Country occupies first place, followed by Madrid (17%) and Catalonia (15%).
Applicants: 39% are businesses, 51% are individuals and 10% are Official Organisms (which includes universities).

 

More information: press here

[Return]