Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Hall, Bronwyn H.
Author-Email: bhhall@econ.berkeley.edu
Author-Workplace-Name: UNU-MERIT, Maastricht University, UC Berkeley, NBER, and IFS
Author-Name: Helmers, Christian
Author-Email: christian.helmers@uc3m.es
Author-Workplace-Name: Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, LSE
Title: Innovation and diffusion of clean/green technology: Can patent commons help?
Abstract: 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.
Classification-JEL: H23, H42, K11, O33, O34
Keywords: patent commons, green technology, eco-aptents, diffusion, climate change 
Series: UNU-MERIT Working Papers
Creation-Date: 2011
Number: 025
File-URL: http://www.merit.unu.edu/publications/wppdf/2011/wp2011-025.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 275 Kb
Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2011025