Innovation and diffusion of clean/green technology: Can patent commons help?
Bronwyn Hall & Christian Helmers
#2011-025
This paper explores the characteristics of 238 patents on 94 “inventions”
contributed by major multinational innovators to the “Eco-Patent
Commons”, which provides royalty-free access to third parties to
patented climate change related innovations. By comparing the pledged
patents to other patents in the same technologies or held by the same
multinationals, we investigate the motives of the contributing firms as
well as the potential for such commons to encourage innovation and
diffusion of climate change related technologies. This study, therefore,
indirectly provides evidence on the role of patents in the development
and diffusion of green technologies. More generally, the paper sheds
light on the performance of hybrid forms of knowledge management that
combine open innovation and patenting.
JEL codes: H23,H42,K11,O33,O34
Keywords: patent commons; green technology; eco-aptents; diffusion;
climate change
