It is happening!! Brazil grants first green patent

Last week, the Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial (INPI) granted the first Green Patent in the country.

The patent in question is for a process: the treatment of solid waste that claims to reduce environmental impact and does generate electricity. INPI informs that the “invention is based on the technology of pyrolysis, a kind of combustion carried out in the absence of oxygen that reduces the production of toxic gases such as nitrogen oxides and sulphur and carbon monoxide.” Moreover, this technology “produces other gases such as hydrogen and methane, which, due to its high calorific value, can be forwarded to a burner connected to a generator to produce electricity.”



Speedy Gonzalez....looking for a green bandana... 

The patent was granted using the program ‘Patent Green’ and thus, it just took nine months after the request! Indeed, one of the purposes of this program was to accelerate the review of applications related to clean technologies – from 5 years to less than 2 years – so...9 month is really speedy!! This program was created by INPI to encourage sustainable development in areas such as: alternative energy, transportation, energy conservation, waste management and agriculture.

INPI informs that at this stage there are 67 patent applications in this new program, and 16 are already pending at the patent examination division.