Energy & Environmental Technology

According to the United Nations, the world population as of 2023 stood at just over 8 billion. By the end of this century, it is projected to reach 10.4 billion, a 29% increase.

As well as population growth, economies around the world continue to grow and develop, driving up living standards, but also increasing energy use and placing ever-greater demands on agriculture and land supply. With finite resources, and a warming climate, the scale of the challenge ahead is immense, and urgent action is needed.

Energy and environmental technologies play a pivotal role in mitigating this crisis. Innovations in renewable energy, carbon capture, sustainable transportation, and circular economy practices are instrumental in achieving net-zero targets.

Renewable energies have been a focus of research, development, and resulting IP for many years.

Exploiting wind with both onshore and offshore wind farms has seen a steady advancement in turbine design and efficiency, an area where Openshaw & Co. has significant patent experience, not least thanks to our aerospace expertise.

While traditional hydroelectric power plants have been in use for decades, we see advancements in small-scale and low-impact hydro electric technologies contributing to the growth of this renewable energy source.

Similarly, developments in solar, heat pump, and cooling technologies are ongoing, with wider innovation in material science helping support and drive improvements in efficiency.

Yet, for some industries, going direct to electric and other zero-emission forms of energy isn’t practical in the immediate term. Transitioning decades and trillions of dollars of investment in infrastructure and equipment toward a greener future requires a phased approach.

For capital-intensive industries, such as transport, the development of more environmentally friendly forms of propulsion and drivetrains using synthetic fuels, hydrogen, and hybrid systems is required. Significant innovations are being made, including in areas such as carbon capture and storage in rail, unlocking Intellectual Property value on the journey towards net zero.

Efficient green energy capture, generation, and use is key, but so is harvesting and storing energy that’s been created.

Battery technology continues to generate new IP, and with increasingly broad applications. Cutting-edge research and development in new technologies, such as sand, as an efficient means of storing energy, are also on the horizon. The potential for such technologies is tremendously exciting.

The opportunity for innovation in energy and environmental technology is huge, and so is the commercial value of the research and development through securing patents and licensing agreements.