The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) recently launched the IPC Green Inventory, an online tool that helps users search for patent information relating to green technologies. The tool uses the International Patent Classification (IPC) system to provide a hierarchical index of various “green” technologies. Users can browse the index, select a technology, and then press a search button to locate patent applications relating to the technology that have been published by WIPO, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the European Patent Office, or the patent offices of various other countries.
According to WIPO, the IPC Green Inventory will “will help in identifying existing and emerging green technologies, as well as potential partners for further R&D and commercial exploitation.” WIPO also notes that the new tool will “help researchers and industry to avoid investing R&D resources in developing green technology that already exists.”
IP Spotlight 
This is a really helpful resource; thanks for the post. Recently the WIPO has created some great databases that are quite useful for many purposes, from patent litigation to shaping one’s own IP strategy.