Clean energy supply and pollution control technologies have become a policy focus in the United States and other countries, with research and development, commercial investment, and production increasing in these technologies. Researchers and policymakers are interested in metrics to better assess these rapidly emerging technologies. A working paper released by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics discusses a method to identify patents in clean energy supply and pollution control technologies. This method uses complex patent filters—a combination of patent classification codes and search terms—to identify patents in these technology areas, an approach that is likely far more accurate than patent filters that rely solely on patent classification codes. These filters have identified four broad technology areas that are relevant to clean energy supply and pollution control—alternative energy, pollution mitigation, energy storage, and smart grid—which are further divided into 28 specific technologies. These filters were initially developed to create indicators of inventive activity focused on clean energy supply and pollution control technologies for publication in Science and Engineering Indicators 2012.
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