Earlier this month, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced that it is adding new climate and green tech-related terms to the Trademark ID Manual.
The USPTO has already added 75 terms that include biomethane, research and development in the field of wind energy, and treatment of captured landfill gasses. Practically, the addition of these terms will allow more trademark applicants who offer green tech to file for trademark applications by using the TEAS Plus form and pay a lower application fee.
The initiative is part of a larger effort among federal agencies to address climate change and adds to the USPTO’s other green initiatives, which include:
- Implementation of the Climate Change Mitigation Pilot Program, which provides an accelerated examination for patents related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- Participation in the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) WIPO GREEN, which supports global efforts to address climate change and connects providers and seekers of environmentally friendly technologies.
In a blog post from 2022, USPTO Director Kathi Vidal said that the USPTO is “committed to encouraging and incentivizing innovation in clean and green energy technologies to combat the climate crisis.” Vidal emphasized that intellectual property plays a key role in advancing and bringing clean energy innovations to the market.
