A coalition of international businesses has opened a portfolio of environmentally-beneficial patents for anyone to use without charge.
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and IBM partnered with Nokia, Pitney Bowes, and Sony to provide the portfolio, dubbed the "Eco-Patent Commons." It is available on a Web site hosted by the council.
Patents on the site must be for innovations that provide “environmental benefits.” These benefits may be a direct purpose of the patents, such as a technology to hasten groundwater remediation, but can also more indirect such as manufacturing or business processes that lead to reduced hazardous waste or energy consumption.
The coalition’s aim is to have these patents encourage researchers, entrepreneurs and companies to create, apply, and further develop their products, processes, and services to help protect the environment.
“The Eco-Patent Commons provides a unique and significant leadership opportunity for business to make a difference –- sharing their innovations and solutions in support of sustainable development,” said Bjorn Stigson, president of the WBCSD. “The Eco-Patent Commons also provides an opportunity for companies and other entities to identify areas of common interest and establish new relationships that can lead to further development in the patented technologies and elsewhere.”
“Innovation to address environmental issues will require both the application of technology as well as new models for sharing intellectual property among companies in different industries,” said Dr. John E. Kelly III, senior vice president and director of IBM Research. “As the leader in U.S. patents for 15 consecutive years, with 3,125 patents issued in 2007, IBM is excited to bring its patent resources to bear in service of the environment. We strongly urge other companies to contribute to the Eco-Patent Commons.”