Sustainable Innovation Report 2024

23/09/2024

Welcome to the second edition of Reddie & Grose’s Sustainable Innovation report: an investigation into the start-ups, companies, and technology transfer offices making significant contributions to inventions with the potential to address the climate and ecological crises.

Building on the success of the inaugural report, the second edition delves deeper into the start-ups, companies, and technology transfer offices that are making significant contributions to innovation with potential to address the climate and ecological crisis. The research examines patent applications being published with the European Patent Office’s (EPO) patent classification (Y02) dedicated to ‘technologies or applications for mitigation or adaptation against climate change’.

The report is divided into insightful chapters, each focusing on key technology sectors where cleantech and sustainable innovations emerge, including manufacturing, materials, electricity generation and storage, buildings, ICT, transport, recycling and waste reduction & packaging. The aim is to better understand the pioneering work carried out by UK innovators in these particular areas.

Highlights from the report include:

Energy: Energy consumption was a main area of focus for industry players with a majority of patent publications filed addressing ‘enabling technologies’. These include innovations that facilitate the transition away from fossil fuel energy to low carbon alternatives.
Buildings: Dyson and Octopus Energy lead patent publications in the building efficiency sector. Buildings account for 35% of resources, 40% energy use, and 40% of carbon emissions, globally.
Transport: The sector has seen an increase in patent filings, with 75,000 publications filed in 2023 alone. Companies such as Rolls-Royce and Jaguar Land Rover show a significant increase in patent applications indicative of a high rate of innovation in this space.
Waste Reduction: This sector is experiencing a boom in innovation, with 67% of patents in this field directed to plastic and polymer recycling technologies, and 22% of patents filed concerning the recycling of construction waste materials.

In each report, we are also conducting a deeper dive into a particular sector. Last year we took a closer look at energy related innovations and in this edition, we tackle innovations in waste reduction and packaging.

Download our 2024 report

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This article is for general information only. Its content is not a statement of the law on any subject and does not constitute advice. Please contact Reddie & Grose LLP for advice before taking any action in reliance on it.